A RYEDALE village has its pub back — after a two-and-a-half-year dry spell.

The Bay Horse at Burythorpe closed in April 2014, and sparked a concerted community effort to get it back on its feet.

Villagers formed a campaign group, successfully lobbied for the pub to be listed as an asset of community value, looked into mounting a community bid, and spoke to potential landlords.

With the prospect of it being turned into a house by property developers still hanging over it, the property ended up in an auction at York Racecourse earlier this year.

It was bought by Vito and Abbie Logozzi, owners of the Goodmanham Arms, near Market Weighton, and after a six-month restoration, it has now been re-opened as a pub.

David Quick, part of the group that fought for it, said: "Our aim was to save the pub however it was going to happen. In the end, a landlord who we really like bought the pub at auction and it's amazing - we are so pleased."

Vito’s brother Franco will be running the pub day-to-day as the establishment finds its feet again.

The owners plan to soon start providing a range of snacks, and then in the New Year they hope to begin offering more substantial meals.

The bar currently features eight ales on tap - all at £2.50 a pint. These include Whitby Abbey from Black Dog Brewery, Yorkshire Sparkle from Treboom, Stallion from Hambleton Ales and White Rat from Rat Brewery.

The Bay Horse is stone-built, and it is believed to date back to the 18th century.

Earlier this year, a former landlord of the pub died. Graham Moore, who in his youth was a footballer who played for Chelsea, Manchester Utd and Wales, owned the pub from 1999 until 2007.