Man to appear in court over Star Inn at Harome fire

A 28-year-old man has been charged with arson following a fire at the Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome in Helmsley, North Yorkshire.

The 14th-century pub suffered over £2m worth of damage in the blaze on 24 November 2021, including to its thatched roof.

North Yorkshire Police said a man had been charged with committing arson with recklessness as to whether the property would be destroyed or life endangered.

He will appear before Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday (14 August).

No one was injured in the fire, which took nine fire crews many hours to bring under control.

The Star Inn reopened in 2022, a year after the fire, with insurance covering the cost of rebuilding the Grade I-listed building exactly as it was.

Pern originally opened the pub in 1996 and in 2002 it became the second-ever gastropub to win a Michelin star.

The team won Menu of the Year at the 1997 Cateys and the Newcomer Award the following year, and Andrew and Jacquie Pern won Pub and Bar Operator of the Year in the 2002 Cateys.