It last served a pint on 23 March last year.
But in two weeks’ time, the Last Drop Inn in York will welcome drinkers through its doors again.
And they will be the first to enjoy its new look, and bigger and better range of food and drink.
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The Last Drop Inn was originally a York Brewery pub. But when that company went into administration in December 2018, it was bought out by Black Sheep, the Masham-based brewery.
And when the Colliergate pub reopens it will have been rebranded as a Black Sheep pub.
Jake Humberstone, of Black Sheep, said they this would give the brewery a good presence in the city centre, while complementing sister pub the Three Legged Mare which has stayed with the York Brewery branding.
More beers
Unlike many other pubs, the Last Drop Inn didn’t reopen after previous lockdown restrictions were eased. In a small pub with narrow corridors, the social distancing restrictions meant it wasn’t practical.
It did briefly operate as a bottle shop in the run-up to last Christmas, but that was stymied by the introduction of extra restrictions.
But the prolonged closure has allowed the brewery to invest in a full makeover, including a new bar, new flooring and refitted toilets. The staircase, a listed feature, has also been repaired and renovated.
They are creating a keg wall behind the bar, which has freed up space for up to eight handpulls of cask beer on the bar itself. There is also more of a food offering, with sharing platters, cheeseboards and locally sourced pies.
The Last Drop Inn is due to open on Tuesday, 19 October, under the new management of Alex Higginson. It will host open mic nights on Mondays, a traditional quiz on Wednesday and live music on Fridays.
Meanwhile, Jake said the search was continuing for suitable premises to bring back York Brewery brewing operations within the city walls. Brewing is currently undertaken in Masham.