A NEW Life in the Sun couple’s dreams were destroyed after a horror storm forced them to shut down their business.
The Channel 4 show revisited Mark and Natalia’s journey on Sunday’s show, after they set up a paddleboarding business in Spain in 2019.
The pair share a passion for water sports and their business got off to a great start during their first summer, with holidaymakers flocking to use their equipment.
Mark and Natalia went on to have a child, which meant they needed a bigger income too.
So they decided to open a second paddleboarding facility in another location, with Mark saying: “It’s going to be fun trying to attract the new marketplace.
“Like I say, we are always up for a new challenge.”
The couple spent over £8,500 on new equipment and only had three months of the season left to try and make as much money as possible to cover their costs.
But despite a successful launch, a major storm hit the Spanish coast in September 2019, destroying homes and businesses.
Mark said: “It’s absolute mayhem. Look, at it. This used to be a boardwalk and that’s disappeared now. It’s been pushed out to sea.
“As you can see the carnage that has been caused. This wall which had been done at the start of the year has been destroyed now.”
The couple had to close their second business for the rest of the season, but they soon took another hit when the coronavirus pandemic struck in March 2020.
With a lack of tourism and holidaymakers, the couple took the decision to not reopen their second business.
Natalia said: “This year because of the circumstances because of lockdown and the unknown situation in the future, we decided not to risk too much.
“Just in case because we may not be able to survive, basically.”
Thankfully, the couple used their business acumen to open a fresh food cafe on the coast, which proved to be a huge success.
A New Life in the Sun: Where are they now? is available on All4.
