Fire ravaged Lancaster pub bosses say it will be "some time" before it re-opens

Ten fire crews tackled the blaze at The Stork Inn in Corricks Lane in the early hours of Tuesday January 28.

Nearby properties were evacuated as the fire raged for several hours and plumes of thick black smoke surrounded the area.An investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing.

No-one was injured as a result of the fire, but within just a few days, the pub was burgled twice.Lancaster Police said that a man and a woman were later cautioned for theft.

A sizeable portion of the pub and restaurant, which also has seven en-suite bedrooms, has been completely gutted, with major damage sustained to the roof and fabric of the building.

The fire and subsequent closure of the pub, described as popular and a "hub for the community", shocked residents in Conder Green and Glasson Dock, and the cause of the fire as yet remains unclear.

A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said that a joint fire investigation is still ongoing with the insurance company and their representatives.

Owners EI Group Plc, formerly known as Enterprise Inns, said: “We are working closely with the relevant authorities on plans to restore the Grade II listed Stork Hotel, following an extensive fire. We would like to reassure the local community that, while we aim to reopen the pub as soon as possible, this is likely to take some time.”