Works underway at Wallingford High Street pub The Boat House

The Boat House pub has been closed for more than three months after it suffered major flood damages when water from the River Thames burst its banks and rose over the back steps and into the building. 

The pub in High Street announced its closure on January 6, and it has remained shut ever since.

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Now scaffolding has been erected at the pub as contractors start work on repairs.

And pub company Greene King said it expected to make an announcement in the coming weeks about when the pub will reopen.

A spokesman for Greene King said: "We can confirm that works to reopen the Boat House are now under way.

“We hope to provide further information on an opening date in the coming weeks and would like to thank all our customers for their patience and understanding.”

The town council owns the Boat House pub.

It has been in meetings with Greene King regarding the renovation work.

Town mayor Daniel Beauchamp said earlier: "I believe Greene King have been planning a refurbishment for a while - the flooding has perhaps accelerated those plans."

Mr Beauchamp said he did not know how badly flood water has damaged the pub, and was hoping to find out more from staff at Greene King.

He added: "I had a walk around the pub following the flooding to have a look at it, but I'm not a structural expert."

Following the flooding in January a number of boats were stranded on the riverbanks as a result of being moved, with some of them left perched at odd angles.

Graham Hards, of South Oxfordshire's branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), said The Boat House was in "an ideal location" on the Thames.

He added: "It's a very popular pub with people who are walking the Thames, and with summer coming it will be a boost to the town when it reopens.

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"I expect the work inside is quite extensive, as floors will have to be re-laid following flooding."

Mr Hards said Wallingford had a good selection of pubs, including the Cross Keys, which has won a number of CAMRA awards, the Coach and Horses, The Dolphin and micro-pub The Keep.

The Boat House has a 3.5 out of 5 rating on reviews site Tripadvisor but some reviewers have given it five stars following a visit.

Dave from Oxford said following his visit in December: "Wonderful pub in a beautiful location on the banks of the River Thames.

"Went for a couple of drinks and a bite to eat and will definitely be going there more often. The food was great - hot and fresh, and there’s a really good selection of drink available. The staff were polite and happy to help . Couldn’t find a fault if I wanted to."

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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