Sofas became beds at overbrimming Marlow hotels (From Bucks Free Press)
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Sofas became beds at overbrimming Marlow hotels
12:49pm Tuesday 22nd December 2009 in News By James Nadal
The Compleat Angler which became a refuge from the travel chaos for motorists
HOTELS in Marlow were swamped with phone calls from frustrated travellers desperately looking for somewhere to stay last night due to gridlock.
Many motorists gave up on their journeys home as the ice and snow took its toll on rush hour travel – with some kipping on hotel sofas.
There were reports of all roads leading out of Marlow being “choc-a-bloc” while The Compleat Angler Hotel near Marlow Bridge said it had calls every two minutes from drivers seeking somewhere to stay overnight.
Kevin O'Leary, 46, a duty manager, said: “Every two minutes we had a phone call and we had a few people sleeping on the sofa in the lounge.
“I could see the whole of Marlow High Street was very, very bad. One car I'd seen 20 minutes before had not moved at all.”
Some cars were abandoned in the hotel's car park.
Mr O'Leary said staff coped well with the extra demand: “It was no trouble at all, we always rise to the challenge, it makes a variety of a day.”
Some staff remained at the hotel rather than travelling home.
Around 15 people slept on settees in The Crowne Plaza in Fieldhouse Lane where 100 extra guests had to be accommodated.
A manager at the hotel said with bookings it had only been half full in the morning but was full to the brim by the evening, after a flood of calls around 4pm to 5pm.
Tim Graham, a partner at LGP Solicitors in Chapel Street, said although he was not at the office on Monday, he had heard “horror stories” from colleagues about their journeys.
He said: “I was told all the exits from Marlow were gridlocked, while in Henley Road it was bumper to bumper still at 11pm.”
One friend had taken five hours getting from Oxford to Marlow after leaving at 6pm, he said.
Marlow Chamber of Trade vice-president Annie Mulady, who runs company Muladay Solutions in Station Road, could see the traffic chaos ensuing from her office and described it as “pretty rotten”.
