A popular pub and restaurant says it is “touch and go” whether it will be open to see in the New Year.
The Old Mill, formerly the Old Corn Mill, in Wakefield Road, Brighouse, close to junction 25 of the M62, was shut by floods which struck on Christmas Day night.
The cellar of the pub, next to the River Calder, was under 6ft of water meaning it couldn’t open on Boxing Day.
The boiler has also been damaged beyond repair and the pub cannot re-open until a new one is installed.
General manager Ian Brown, who only took over in September, said it was “touch and go” whether the pub and restaurant would be open in time for New Year’s Eve when 180 diners were booked in.
“We are taking it one day at a time,” he said. “It’s a very tricky situation.”
The pub lost its entire cellar stock and now has professional cleaners in. The pub and restaurant was untouched by the floodwater but sanitisation will be needed before the premises can re-open.
Flooding at the Old Mill
The biggest obstacle could be replacing the specialist boiler to restore heating and hot water.
Mr Brown said until this year it was four or five years since the pub last flooded. However, it had now flooded three times in the last month.
He said the authorities must look at flood prevention works and bosses would have to review whether the pub remained viable because of the flood risk.
The pub and restaurant is next door to the Premier Inn and relies on guests who eat in the restaurant.
Mr Brown said the Premier Inn was closed and looked like it would remain shut for around two months.
Flooding in Brighouse
“It’s the first time the Premier Inn has flooded in its 15-year history,” he said. “We are heavily reliant on Premier Inn for business people and contractors eating in our restaurant.
“All those guests are going to be routed elsewhere. It will have a massive financial impact on us.”
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Two weeks ago the Ship Inn in Steanard Lane, Mirfield, was closed by the floods and was expected to be shut for up to eight weeks.
The pub was badly hit again on Boxing Day when the Calder burst its banks once more.
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