Big York pub to reopen today after 7-month closure

The Masons Arms in Fishergate was inundated when the Foss Barrier was lifted on Boxing Day, allowing the River Foss behind the pub to flood.

Insurance delays meant the repair work could not even begin until March, and the work took around a month longer than first hoped, but the pub will reopen at 5pm on Friday, following a refit costing around £150,000.

Owners Julie and Gary Miller returned from Thailand to oversee the work and prepare for the re-opening, along with their daughter Beckie.

Above: The pub during December's floods. Below: Similar scenes during the 1982 floods

Scott Kirk, who began working in the pub as pot-washer when he was 14, eleven years ago, has taken over as manager.

Mrs Miller said: "We cannot wait; we just want it open. We love it, and we are all excited. We will be doing all home-cooked food again, with local good suppliers.

"Everything will be traditional and home made, just like it used to be."

Roger Barnsley, project manager for the restoration, said local contractors AW Eadie, of James Street, had done an excellent job on the project.

He said: "With the best will in the world, you are always going to find hidden problems, especially in an old place, and it is a listed building so there is a limit to what you can and cannot do."

Mr Kirk said he was looking forward to his first manager's role, and said he was also a trained chef and was looking to rebuild the pub's fortunes again.

The Foss had not flooded badly since 1982, and Mrs Miller said the decision to open the barrier had "caused disaster". The Environment Agency had said not lifting the barrier would have increased the risk of it failing, which could have led to even worse flooding.