AFTER being ravaged by floods at the turn of 2016, the wait to move back is finally over for staff and residents at Peebles Nursing Home.

After 20 months of painstaking restoration and refurbishment, the home, which overlooks Tweed Green, has reopened.

The Peeblesshire News reported at the time how 24 elderly residents had to be evacuated from the home when Storm Frank hit the town.

The residents were re-housed twice, first in Waverley Care Home in Galashiels, and then, six weeks later, at a semi-permanent home in Craw Wood, Tweedbank.

It was hoped that the residents would be back in Peebles by June 2016, but their return date was pushed back while extensive renovation work continued.

Manager Jane Rogers told us: “After 20 months away, it’s good to be home. I was pleased to pick up the keys and return on August 30.

“Since then, we’ve been hard at work putting together the finishing touches both inside and out. It’s wonderful to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Despite the devastation caused by the floods, it also gave the opportunity to make the home and facilities bigger and better.

Jane added: “While we were out of the home, we took the opportunity to apply for planning permission to extend our home, and do things that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do.

“All the walls were totally destroyed in the floods, and it has taken months to dry the place out before any work could start.

“All rooms have been refurbished and include wet room showers. We’ve got seven new bedrooms, five of which will be complete in October. Plus, there’s also a new quiet lounge at the front of the home.

“The building has better flood defences, with higher walls outside, new drainage and flood gates to stop any water from getting in.”

The nursing home enlisted the team at Bonnie Peebles to help with the finishing touches.

They came along on Wednesday to work their magic on the gardens, which were also ruined by the floodwaters.

Activities coordinator Gemma Brown added: “We were keen to engage the admirable skills of Bonnie Peebles with regards to planting our new gardens, being so familiar with their many lovely floral spaces around Peebles.

“The request was sent to them earlier this month by our architect, David Farmer, and their response was very enthusiastic.

“We really would like to give credit to them for their generous donation of time and kind volunteering today. Our residents will, I’m sure, benefit tremendously from having these lovely gardens to enjoy.

“The Home Provider volunteered a monetary donation to the Bonnie Peebles committee in appreciation and support of the wonderful work that they do in our hometown of Peebles.

“The cost of the plants and flowers was met entirely by Mansfield Care Ltd.”

The home will officially re-open on Friday, October 13.