Flamborough pub set to be taken over by sisters after £320,000 refurb
Sisters Hannah and April Emmerson of Flamborough’s Emmerson fishing family are taking the local The Ship pub, together with Hannah’s husband Tom Davison.
The pub is set to reopen in early to mid-July, following an 18-month closure. It also comes after a £320,000 refurb by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and the sisters, which started this month.
The move will see the pub increase its focus on food and upgrade its sports-watching offer.
Hannah, who also runs the café Boathouse at North Landing, Flamborough, said: “People are always asking me if we can open somewhere in the village itself as The Boathouse can be tricky for some customers to visit due to its steep access.
“I started The Boathouse with no prior experience of operating a hospitality business at the time, this led to me and Tom taking on our second business East Coast Shellfish, a shell fish merchant also in Flamborough. These have given me the confidence to take on The Ship with April.
“We both worked in the pub when we were young - it was my first job aged 11 – and were regulars ourselves at one time too.
“It’s really exciting that we’re making it our own, reinstating it at the heart of village life, and that we’ll be introducing a brand-new restaurant to the village specialising in locally sourced produce from local farms and suppliers.” April recently returned to Flamborough after seven years in the Navy, which she joined aged 18, followed by a more recent role as a manager at The Port of Liverpool.
She added: “I am looking forward to this next chapter of my life and our family’s life. It is something different for all of us. Villagers are excited at the prospect of The Ship reopening this summer and love that it’s a local family taking it on.
“We’re really looking forward to welcoming the community and breathing life back into the pub. It’s been missed these last 18 months.”
In the autumn, Hannah and April plan to introduce pizza nights, quiz evenings and host regular live entertainment at the pub.
The pair said the look will be traditional with wooden tables and lots of leather covered chairs and stools, original wooden beams, and in the dining area painted panelling and a new wood burner.
Star Pubs business development manager, Matt Williams, said: “We’re delighted that Hannah and April are taking on The Ship with their hyper local knowledge and combined organisational, customer service and marketing skills. Hannah has put The Boathouse on the map for its great food, attracting 40,000 followers on social media. I am confident she and April will turn The Ship into another success story for the family and wish them well.”