Former Bay Horse pub at Fulford set to become a café

As Previously reported by The Press, The Bay Horse in Main Street, Fulford, closed in January.

At that point former landlady Donna Emmett, who ran the business from 2019 until September last year, told The Press she had been told by the building's owners that it had been sold to a developer.

But now a new landlord says that there are plans afoot to open a café in the building.

The landlord, who didn't want to be named, said it wasn't viable to keep the building as a working pub.

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The former Bay Horse at Fulford (Image: Mike Laycock)

He said: "Having spoken to the locals we established they want it to stay as a community use, with that in mind we found a café operator who would like to trade this former pub as a café still serving the locals as a location to drink, but it will be coffee rather then alcohol.  

"The flats on the two upper floors are not in great shape and we intend to refurbish and either rent or sell them for private use, rather then the existing short term lets.

"We also intend on submitting a planning application shortly for the change of use and a good clean up enhancing the appearance of the building.  

"If planning is granted within the eight weeks timeframe for a minor application we will look to start fitout works and hopefully be open for Christmas 2024."

Ms Emmett, said she had decided to give up the tenancy of the pub last September because of falling custom - probably due to the soaring cost of living - at the same time as her own bills were rising, and the problems had worsened through the autumn and winter.

"It was costing me more to run the pub than I was making," she said.

A regular at the Bay Horse of 20 years told how he feared it had shut for good, and how its closure was a great loss to the community.

A member of staff at one of Fulford's other pubs, the Plough Inn, said at the time people weren't sure what had happened at the Bay Horse, but pub equipment had been seen being removed.