Owners of flood-hit Northampton holiday park respond as desperate residents claim they’ve been left without support

Billing Aquadrome, which sits on a floodplain, was evacuated last week (November 25) after the site flooded for the fourth time this year.

Hundreds of residents were forced to leave their homes at 2am when the flood sirens went off. From there, they must find other accommodation, like hotels, until they’re allowed back on-site as it is believed many do not have a residential address despite needing one to live on the park. Those with nowhere else to go are taken in by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) at Lings Forum.

Residents have since returned this week, but many have contacted Chronicle & Echo to criticise the alleged lack of support from the park’s owners, Meadow Bay Village.

One said: “I know several people on the site, including my dad, who have suffered from this flood. They’ve received no help from the owners in terms of skips or rubbish collection to help remove their destroyed belongings.”

One resident added: “My elderly mother has been sleeping in her car for 10 days because she has nowhere else to go.”

Another described the evacuation, saying: “It was 2am, and we woke up to the sirens. They don’t help you. When they say they’ve evacuated 1,000 people—no, they haven’t. They turn the electric off straight away, and it’s pitch black, like walking in the woods. The sirens go off, and that’s it. They don’t assist you, and they don’t put any safety lights on.”

Others detailed the long-term damage, saying: “We returned to find water lines on the walls, confirming our worst fears. The place was utterly flooded. We salvaged what personal items we could, but the furniture and appliances—beds, cupboards, stove, washer—are ruined. Insurance won’t cover the water damage anymore, so we have to pay for everything ourselves.”

Geoffrey Smith, CEO of Meadow Bay Village, acknowledged the difficulties and outlined measures being taken to support residents.

He said: “I want to acknowledge the challenges many of you are facing. For some, the recent flooding has meant being unable to return to your cherished caravans. For others, significant repairs are needed before they can be enjoyed again.

Mr Smith said power had been restored to five of the seven transformers on-site, with work continuing on the remaining units.

He said: “To assist residents in clearing their caravans, we’ve positioned large roll-on skips throughout the park for the disposal of damaged goods. These will be regularly maintained and replaced as needed.”

He also noted that park management has waived all administrative fees for repair services sourced through Billing Aquadrome until April 2025, adding: “We’ve compiled a list of approved local contractors and suppliers verified through platforms like Checkatrade to expedite repairs.”

He praised the park’s staff and emergency services, saying many had gone “above and beyond” to support the community.

He also addressed long-term flood concerns, saying: “We understand the ongoing frustrations, especially around flood resilience. This issue has a long history, and we’re fully committed to breaking the cycle. For over six months, we’ve worked closely with WNC, the Environment Agency, and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions.”

A Memorandum of Understanding has recently been signed with WNC, setting out a plan to redevelop Billing Aquadrome as a “premier tourist destination”, which will see major changes to the park.