Flooded café owner hopes for a dry spell (From York Press)

Jan Dyl of Dyl’s Café Bar hopes for a dry spell after flooding on River Ouse

8:05am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

A RIVERSIDE café and bar will re-open in York on Friday, almost six months after being devastated by flooding.

Jan Dyl, who runs Dyl’s Café Bar, situated in the Motor House at Skeldergate Bridge, said it had been a “living nightmare” since the River Ouse rose last September to its highest levels in 12 years.

He said the main bar area was flooded to a depth of about one metre, wrecking fixtures, fittings, the bar and stocks. Then, after the building had finally dried out later last autumn, and with builders ready to move in to begin refurbishing the property, it flooded again following yet more heavy rain up in the Dales. To cap the misery, the property was also burgled twice over the winter.

“It’s been hell on earth – a living nightmare,” said Mr Dyl, 21.

He said his family had only taken over the cafe last May. At that time, they had known the terrace of the café on the river bank was prone to regular flooding, but had never anticipated the cafe bar upstairs would also be affected so badly.

“It’s only flooded like this two times in 110 years, in 2000 and 1890, I think.”

He said the property was now much better protected against flooding following a £10,000 refurbishment. A barrier would help prevent floodwaters entering the bar, and if water did get in, it would be much easier to clean it out and re-open. For example, it now had a stone floor that could easily be cleaned.

A burglar alarm was also being fitted to keep out intruders.

He said he hoped the regular clientele which was starting to build up before the flood would now return to the café, and was also hoping for a long hot summer in York.