BOSSES at Thwaites Brewery have pledged to rebuild a canalside pub, microbrewery and restaurant destroyed by a massive fire.

The Grill and Grain at the Boatyard in Bolton Road, Riley Green, had undergone a £1million plus restoration in November 2016.

With severe damage to the roof and interior and possible other major structural problems caused by April's blaze the rebuilding could cost several hundreds of thousand of pounds.

Thwaites Director of Pubs and Brewing, Andrew Buchanan, said it would be ‘at least a year’ before the premises re-open.

The blaze,which needed eight fire engines manned by more than 60 firefighters, to combat, is believed to have started accidentally but not to be cooking related.

Mr Buchanan, said: “As soon as investigations have concluded, we will make the building safe so we can access it and start planning the future.

“We don’t know at this stage what work that will involve, we will soon have structural engineers and architects on site to advise us.

“Losing the pub to the fire has been devastating to everyone who worked there and everyone involved in its creation.

“However we are committed to rebuilding it and restoring it to its former glory.”

Blackburn-bases Thwaites is seeking to redeploy the 50 staff, who worked there, at other pubs and inns offering vacancies within the chain. All will be asked to reapply when the premises reopen.

A Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “Our fire investigators have completed their work and handed the site over to Thwaites.

“The cause of the fire was accidental not deliberate.”

The focal point of the Grill and Grain was a large wood-fire grill in view of customers as well as its own on-site microbrewery, where a range of beer was be specially developed for the inn.

No diners were in the restaurant when the fire broke out at 11.50am on April 12.