Pop-up ‘Hanover’ pub rises from the ashes of blaze

The historic Hanover Inn, in Church Street, Harwich, was destroyed by a massive fire in June.

It is not yet known whether the building can be repaired But unperturbed, landlord David Todd will be opening a pop-up ‘Hanover’ pub at the nearby Crown Post restaurant.

The Hanover has always been a big part of Harwich’s unique Sausage Festival and the pop-up venue will be open in time for the event on Saturday.

Mr Todd said: “Hopefully it will be good fun.

“We are going to have a special menu with German-themed beer and sausages and an oompah band will be performing.

“It will be a great chance to see some old faces again and will be great to have a central point where everyone can meet up.

“It is never going to quite be the same as the Hanover Inn because there was so much history in that building, but this is as close as we are going to get to having it back.

“And we are really lucky to have been able to secure a building with a similar history and excellent original features.

“At the pub we had our own Hanover family, so it is great that we are able to now keep that family together on both sides of the bar.

“I have been really nervous over the last week but now we are getting everything in order it is a good feeling.

“I will feel better when I am sat at the bar with a beer after closing on Friday.”

Fire damage: The Hanover Inn pub in Harwich. Picture: ECFRS (Image: ECFRS)

This year a number of extra venues will be getting a taste of the Harwich Sausage Festival.

While the competing sausages will be tasted in the New Bell, Alma Inn and the Stingray, there is an addition to this year’s festival in the form of a ‘sausage fringe’ event to allow additional sausage enjoyment.

Award-winning sausages from Lincolnshire will be available to taste in the Globe and the Samuel Pepys and the pop-up Hanover pub will be serving German sausages.

Organiser Richard Oxborrow said: “It is great that the Globe, the Samuel Pepys and the Crown Post will also have quality sausages for festival goers to sample.

“November 5 in historic Harwich is certainly going to go with a banger.”

Richard said the organisers are excited that David and his team are opening up the Crown Post after the Hanover was destroyed.

“This is wonderful news and it is great that the Crown Post/Hanover will be open in time to be part of the festival,” he added.

“The motto of our festival is ‘Nothing stops a sausage’ and it is clear that nothing stops the Hanover either.”