Popular pub reopens after three-months

From the archive, first published Thursday 13th Apr 2006.

Otley's Summercross pub has re-opened less than three months after its shock closure.

There were fears for its future when it was suddenly shut down in January and boarded up - and the relief landlord said he had only been given 48 hours to leave.

The closure came after the Summercross was one of 205 pubs sold by the previous owners Punch Taverns to the Petchey Group in December, after Punch acquired around 1,200 pubs from the Spirit Group.

But the company acting for the new owners, SAVE Investments, said the closure had happened because of contractual difficulties, and it stressed that the intention was to re-open the Summercross as soon as possible.

And now the pub is open for business again, with a new tenant in place.

It is the first venture into the pub trade for Barry Mills, 59, from Blackpool, who previously ran a Spar store and deli.

He is determined to make a success of the venture and will be helped by his wife Pamela, 55, and his son Ian, 32.

Mr Mills said customers had started returning since the re-opening at the beginning of April.

Now the kitchen is being refurbished, and he hopes to have the food side of the business set up by Easter.

He said: "We are going to stick to good pub grub - nothing fancy. It is going to be the sort of food you would expect to find in a pub, at good prices. I think the dearest will be £5.75."

He is also planning to keep beer prices down - with a pint of Black Sheep costing £1.75.

Mr Mills said: "The pub used to be popular - particularly going back a few years. We are going to give it a go, and give the community something they have not had for some time."

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