NEXT Thursday, Wayne and Deanna Allan celebrate their first anniversary at the helm of the Frog Hall. It is an achievement well-worth celebrating - particularly as they were told back in January that the Layerthorpe pub could be history within weeks.

Despite such an unpromising outlook, the couple have worked tirelessly to bring the pub back to its community best. Nowadays the pub is often packed.

Alas, the threat to its future still looms large. More of that later.

For now, Wayne is looking forward to this Thursday's first birthday bash, a special jam night starring Stealer with grub laid on.

Get there early - it will be standing room only. By offering locals a warm welcome, and offering a stage to some of the area's top bands, Wayne and Deanna have ensured the Frog Hall is heaving again.

"Last week and the week before were the two best weeks, takings-wise, we have had.

"The week before last I took more on one night than I took on New Year's Eve."

On big nights, Wayne used to remove the door into the main bar to give people more room. Not any more.

"It's off, full stop. It's been off for the last three months. I got sick of screwing it and unscrewing it."

Now he wants to swap his screwdriver for a sledgehammer, to expand the capacity of the pub for really rocking music nights.

"If I can get a couple of walls knocked out, it will free up some wasted space like the lobby. I could probably double the capacity."

Drinks supplier John Smith's are also keen to install T-shaped pumps to expand the choice of beers on the bar.

But all these plans could turn out to be pipe dreams unless the Save The Frog campaign is successful.

At the moment, things don't look great. Owners Enterprise Inns, keen to sell the pub, have exchanged contracts with developers Dransfield Properties from Barnsley. Dransfield wants to demolish the Frog and build a video store and a McDonald's drive-through.

Completion can only take place once planning consent has been granted. But the land is contaminated. Consent will only come through once the council is satisfied with the clean-up plans submitted both by Dransfield, and by another developer keen to snap up a different part of the site.

Wayne said he believed that if the plans were not approved by the end of September, the deal is off. But Philip Wilson, of Dransfield, said that is not the case.

His company has submitted all the data and methodology relating to its clean-up operation, and he is now waiting for a response from the council and the Environment Agency. It would take nine months to detox the land, he said.

Mr Wilson is keen to press ahead despite the delay, and says his development is a "good news story" for the people of the area - the regeneration of a contaminated site.

He accepted that "it's an emotive issue when you're looking at the demolition of a public house." But the Frog must be pulled down as part of the clean-up, he said. Moreover, this will help improve the "visibility" of the new retail development.

Why not build a new Frog Hall? Not enough demand, he said - there are other pubs nearby. "I certainly don't believe that the loss is a significant loss to community facilities in the area", whereas the new retail units will cater to the needs of the community.

So the wrangle continues. In the meantime, get yourself to the Frog this Thursday. The jam session starts about 9pm. All are welcome - as ever.

u THE expansion of York Brewery's pub estate continues apace. After the successful launch of the Last Drop Inn and the Three Legged Mare, the brewery has now secured planning permission for a Micklegate outlet. The new pub will be based in the premises previously occupied by the Rock Caf.

Brewery boss Tony Thomson said the next stage was to get listed building consent for the plans, which involve moving part of the staircase to install the bar.

He hopes that will come through by September 6, when he goes to court to apply for a licence for the new boozer. Does he expect any problems?

"I am hopeful because of the way we do things," he said. "We are replacing the Rock Caf, which used to be a boisterous kids' place."

York Brewery pubs, by contrast, are quieter and attract the more discerning drinker.

Because it boasts big kitchens he sees the new pub as "a foodie place", specialising in steaks "because I don't think there's a specialist steak bar in York".

What with Casa on Low Ousegate and now this, it seems that the legendary Micklegate Run has been truly civilised...