A RESTAURANT pub which was ravaged by fire shortly before Christmas will soon reopen.

The White Hart at Pool-in-Wharfedale was badly damaged when a blaze began in a kitchen and storage area.

The fire on December 21 caused extensive damage to the pub’s roof, kitchen, cellar and toilets and also smoke damage to the restaurant and wider area.

An extensive renovation is now almost finished and the pub is due to reopen on March 15.

General manager Chris Chew said: “The work’s still ongoing but we’re getting there now and are only a couple of weeks away.

“It’s been a fast recovery but that’s one of the benefits of being part of a big company like Mitchells & Butlers which has some weight behind it and can push ahead with what needs to be done, and the builders have really got on with it.

“We’re having a full refurbishment front-of-house too, so it’s a new pub people will be seeing when they come in.”

While classed as an accident no definite cause was able to established for the fire.

All of the pub’s employees had to be found alternative work at other Mitchells & Butlers pubs, while five of them, who lived above it, were also left temporarily homeless.

Mr Chew said: “They lost their home as well as their workplace, though we found hotel accommodation for them to begin with and then somewhere else to live and work.

“We’re still the same team and, while we’ve been doing different things over the past few months during the repairs, we’ll all be back at the White Hart again.

“It was the worst timing possible to have a fire, right before Christmas, though we did our best to get people who had booked with us for Christmas Day fixed up elsewhere.

“But that’s behind us now - we’re all looking forward to getting cracking in what is basically a new pub.”

Councillor Barry Anderson (Con, Adel & Wharfedale) said: “I am so pleased to hear that the White Hart is to be reopened after the devastating fire in December.

“It will be good to see the pub back up and running again and putting the heart back into the village.

“It is such an important landmark in Pool and to be out of action for the last few months must have been very difficult for the owners.

“I am sure customers will welcome this and it will be busy and thriving once again.”

Customers will receive a complimentary drink and canapes on Friday, March 17, from 6pm.