ALL aboard!

Tourists and residents will be able to lap up the summer sunshine on a floating café, if a York pub landlord gets the go-ahead for new plans.

Richard Dearlove, of the Ship Inn at Acaster Malbis, wants to permanently moor a boat on the River Ouse beside his pub.

He has submitted an application to City of York Council licensing bosses, in an attempt to provide a new attraction for visitors to the area.

Mr Dearlove said the Duchess of York boat would not serve as a nightclub, but as a more civilised place for people to enjoy drinks or snacks.

He said the top deck would also be able to accommodate people wanting to smoke, once the national ban on lighting up in enclosed public places comes into force in July.

He said: "It will be a floating café, where people can moor up on our own pontoons, and tourists can come.

"We have five caravan sites here, and it will be very nice for people. It will have a nice area on the top deck of the boat that can double as a smoking area."

At present, the Duchess of York and the River King provide lunch or dinner cruises, and city-centre tours, but Mr Dearlove now wants to permanently moor the Duchess outside the pub. It has capacity for about 85 people, and - if it gets the go-ahead - will provide snacks and light refreshments. Mr Dearlove said it would be like an alternative beer garden.

Mr Dearlove added: "I am not looking at a floating nightclub, and do not want people to get the idea that it's going to be noisy music. It's really for a café-style facility."

If given the go-ahead by the council, Mr Dearlove said the café would operate from April to October, from about 10am to 11.30pm.


Launch pads

Several cities around the country already have floating bars, cafés or nightclubs.

They include:

Tuxedo Princess, Newcastle - This steam liner under the Tyne Bridge has been converted into a popular nightclub, complete with a revolving dancefloor.

Cruz, Edinburgh - The Ocean Mist liner arrived on the Water of Leith, in Edinburgh, in the mid-1980s, and served as a restaurant up until 2000. After several years out of use, it reopened last year as a restaurant and piano bar.