A long-standing charity shop in Cardiff has re-opened after extensive flood damage forced it to close for over a month.
British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru Home Plus store on Crwys Road in Cathays shut temporarily on January 8, after the vacant former Co-op shop next door was broken into and its water pipes were stolen, leading to flooding.
Staff and volunteers saved as much as they possibly could from the charity shop, which stocks a wide range of preloved, vintage, and new furniture and home items.
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During the closure, the store was repainted and redesigned, and new flooring was put in, before its grand reopening on Wednesday, February 16.
The store's manager, Perveen Hall, recalled that when staff and volunteers arrived in the morning after the break-in next door, they discovered that "everything" was damaged and "the majority of the shop floor was completely underwater".
"[The water damaged] 90% of our stock, the carpets. The water was above the skirting board line. It had come into our warehouse as well," she said.
"It had been sat overnight and we don't know when exactly the building got broken into, so we don't know how long the water had been coming into [our] building."
She continued: "There was lots of wooden furniture and the water had just seeped up into it, and laminate furniture which was peeling. Luckily some of the sofas were on legs, so we were able to save them."
The "devastated" staff and volunteers pulled out all the stops in a clean-up operation to get the store back up and running as soon as possible.
"We are such a busy store - we're part of the community as well. We've been here for a long time, everyone knows that we are here," said Ms Hall.
She adds that customers have complimented the revamp since the reopening.
"Our regulars have been saying it feels so much bigger and airier," she said. "It feels almost like we've opened as a new store."
Head of BHF Cymru, Adam Fletcher, who officially reopened the store, said: “It’s like a brand-new shop. I’m so proud of our BHF family who’ve worked tirelessly to ensure this flagship store is once again helping us raise vital funds to save lives through research."
The newly reopened shop is welcoming donations big and small, so if you’re having a spring clear out and are looking to donate any good quality furniture or homewares, you can contact the shop to arrange a free collection on 029 2060 0070.
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