Work begins on renovation of The Turf pub in Burnley 15 months after fire destroyed Yorkshire Street premises

The Turf pub has remained closed since the blaze in August last year. But this week work began on re-fitting the Yorkshire Street watering hole and John McDonald, who is a director of the pub owners AJP Pub Group Ltd, said they were hoping to re-open on Mad Friday in December.

The owners had to wait over a year before the insurance company made its first payment and gave them the go ahead to start work on renovating the premises under the culvert. The fire, on August 31st last year, was on the ground floor and firefighters used six breathing apparatus, two hose reels, a thermal imaging camera and a positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the fire.

Taken over by the AJP Pub Group in 2021, The Turf attracted a lot of attention for a 50 foot high mural of Turf Moor, on the side the of building that became the talk of the town. Rochdale artist Jamie Buckley completed the masterpiece in around a week. And the football theme continued inside the pub, which underwent a £100,000 renovation, complete with the creation of Harry Potts Way on the wall next to the mural.

John confirmed a Clarets theme would be returning as part of the refurbishment.

He said: “A rip out and rewire project is in progress at the Turf Burnley and we are aiming for a Mad Friday relaunch. There is still lots to do until then to get it open but it will look incredible when it’s complete.”