Village pub 'custard monstrosity'

The bright yellow Woodman Inn, about to reopen in Bishopthorpe, is undergoing a massive refurbishment, including a new paint job which has aroused strong feelings in the village.

"The brown window frames are ghastly," said resident Andrew Dunn.

"The sandy colour is growing on me, but is still not exactly in keeping with the rest of the village. It seems a strange choice."

The pub, formerly painted white, was described in its previous state as "tatty" by Mr Dunn, but the latest manifestation of the 100-year-old inn has attracted much stronger criticism.

One resident, who has lived in the village for 30 years, told the Evening Press: "It is a sickly yellow colour. It is a quite horrible shade and not very pleasant to behold. It is not at all popular with many villagers.

"We were hoping it would just be a base coat, but it seems that this is for good."

Another resident called for action, stating that Guy Fawkes, believed to have been born in the riverside village, should be allowed access to the pub cellar. He said that although it was a lovely pub to drink in, it was now a "custard monstrosity".

Skips and vans have been seen outside the pub for months, as a massive overhaul takes place.

But not everyone shares the disgust.

Gaz Yeomans, a self-employed plasterer and village resident, said: "I've seen worse. It does seem a strange colour to have used, but I don't really mind it at all."

Chris Renouccie, senior regional manager for Enterprise Inns, said: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

"We feel the colour complements the interior of the lovely village pub.

"The pub has had a complete interior refit and we feel it will be a real bonus for the village."

He said that the work had cost about £160,000 and the pub would be open "by the weekend".

Updated: 11:40 Thursday, June 07, 2001