A LANDLORD of a historic pub which has been closed since a devastating blaze is now taking over a closed-down restaurant – much to the delight of punters.
The Hanover Inn, in Church Street, Harwich suffered at the hands of a catastrophic fire in June, which also destroyed neighbouring cottages.
The fire, which was battled by multiple crews from across Essex, left 177 properties without power for hours on end due to safety concerns.
Following the blaze, the cause of which could not be determined, the venue’s bosses were left with a charred and inhabitable shell of a structure.
As a result, the future of the Hanover Inn and its workforce was thrown into doubt, with many questioning whether it would ever have a presence in the town again.
Landlord David Todd, however, has now revealed the "exciting" news that he and his team are taking over the nearby Crown Post restaurant, which itself was previously closed down.
He said: “As from next Friday we will be opening at the Crown Post and we are hoping it will be a real success.
“If you've missed Donna's fish pie, traditional Hanover roast, or apple crumble, they will all be back.
“We will continue to serve real ale on tap and will also be running our Christmas menu throughout December.
“We have big plans for the opening weekend, which coincides with the Harwich Sausage Festival.
“We will be combining the sausage spirit and the Germanic roots of the Hanover Inn for a special day of bratwurst, German beer and oompah music.”
After the destructive fire at the Hanover Inn, the community rallied together to support those impacted while raising funds to try and ensure the pub’s future.
“We'd like to thank everyone again for their kindness over the last four months since the fire, and Jamie and Tish at the Stingray,” added David.
"For two fellow publicans to help us even though we are a business rival was a magnificent gesture.
“None of this would have been possible without their help and generosity, which is a real indication of the spirit in our little town.
"I really want the Hanover Inn to come back and I want to be a part of it, but at the moment it is still in the hands of the insurance companies.
"I would like nothing more than to be stood back behind the bar of the Hanover."
To find out more about the pubs planned events, visit facebook.com/thehanoverinn.
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