The Star Inn at Harome, chef Andrew Pern’s 14th-century gastropub in North Yorkshire, is to reopen next Saturday, 1 October, almost a year after it was gutted by a fire that ripped through its four feet of thatched roofing.

Andrew vowed to restore the inn in the aftermath of the disaster (pictured), and contractors have worked on the project all year. Under a phased reopening, meals will be served in the New Dining Room to start with, while the Old Dining Room and pub bar – the most historic part of the building, and the worst hit by the fire – should be in operation by the beginning of December.

Last year’s fire was fanned by the winds of Storm Arwen, which prevented the fire brigade from saving the building. The same storm blew down a huge oak tree at Dunscombe Park in Helmsley, a couple of miles away. The wood has been used in the rebuild, and in new furniture for the dining room.

Andrew said: “We learned a lot about the building because we’ve been able to see how it was built from centuries gone by – the materials that were used – and that’s why it’s nice to be able to work again with local craftsmen.  

“We want to make the The Star bigger and better and celebrate all things local, which we’ve always done, be it craftsmen, producers or suppliers. For some it is a privilege to be working on what is an iconic and historic building – a lot of people know of it and for customers it’s quite an emotional time because they have stories to tell about being here – birthdays, christenings, celebrations with people who are no longer here – it (the fire) was quite a poignant event for a lot of people.”