14th century North Yorkshire Star Inn reopens on anniversary of devastating fire

A world famous Michelin-starred pub has reopened exactly a year after it was destroyed in a fire.

The Star Inn, in Harome, North Yorkshire, was forced to shut down after a devastating blaze, which took 40 firefighters almost a full day to extinguish.

Andrew Pern, who owns the 14th century pub, was left with a multi-million pound restoration bill.

• The Star Inn was burnt down almost entirely on 24 November, 2021.

He told ITV News: "The team have been amazing through the times that we've had.

"Having two lockdowns and the fire afterwards has been really miserable for everybody.

"But, we're resilient northern types and we will always bounce back."

Mr Pern, who has had to close another of his restaurants in Whitby because of rising costs and the lasting impact of the pandemic, started rebuilding work in May this year with a team of specialist builders.

Wood from an 150-year-old oak tree which fell nearby on the same night as the fire was used to replace the charred timbers in the thatched roof.

The Star Inn's restoration defies the trend of pub closures in the region. Across Yorkshire, more than 1,000 pubs, clubs and restaurants have shut since March 2020, according to UK Hospitality.

Almost 200 of those closures have been in the past three months, as the effects of the cost-of-living crisis hit the industry.

Police investigating the Star Inn fire have questioned one man, who was later released. No-one has been charged.

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