THE manager of a 15th century pub and restaurant on the Essex/Suffolk border has said it is business as usual after a serious fire in its smokehouse.

Roddy Ashworth

THE manager of a 15th century pub and restaurant on the Essex/Suffolk border has said it is business as usual after a serious fire in its smokehouse.

The Anchor Inn, in Nayland, prides itself on producing most of its food on adjoining farmland, much of which was processed in the free-standing smokehouse next door.

But on Thursday evening the small outbuilding was gutted in a blaze, wrecking equipment and food stored within it.

Yesterday owner and manager Hector Bunting said: “More or less everything in there was pretty much destroyed beyond repair.

“We are waiting for a chartered surveyor to assess the building to see if it is repairable or if it requires more drastic measures.

“We don't know if the building is listed, but regardless of that, if it has to be replaced we will rebuild it so that it is in keeping with the area - we will try to get it looking exactly the same.”

Mr Bunting added: “It's a single course red-brick building. It's not as old as the pub but it is not new.

“Unfortunately we have lost all the hand-held equipment - everything from sausage making machines to food blenders to plates and jars.

“We have also lost some of the produce stored there, although thanks to the fire service we managed to save some of the meats.

“However, the restaurant opened for lunch today and its business as usual, with a few minor changes to the menu.

“Everyone has to work that little extra bit harder, but because all of our food is as real and as fresh we can just create the meals to order.”

Mr Bunting added that in the short term the restaurant had been offered food from other smoke houses in the area, and thanked them for their generosity.

“The most important thing is that nobody was hurt,” he said.