STAFF at a York pub are “devastated” that an annual bonfire will not go ahead for the first time in three decades.

Gordon Watkins has run The Ebor Inn in Bishopthorpe for more than 30 years, and had planned to host a bonfire on November 5 as is tradition.

However, he claimed a sudden increase in the cost of insurance for the event meant he was unable to host it this year.

Gordon said: “We’re all devastated, not just me and my family and staff, but customers as well.

"It’s our major event of the year in Bishopthorpe, and for over 30 years we’ve raised thousands and thousands of pounds for charities.

“It hasn’t been a problem in the past. At the end of the day we’ve had to cancel it.

"This year the insurance went up 200 per cent on previous years due to their fear of accident and the number of people expected to attend.

"But a bonfire isn’t a bonfire without a crowd. We’ve run 32 bonfires in the past and it’s been a big part of The Ebor’s life.”

Gordon said he could not name the insurance company involved or the amount they had quoted to cover the event for business reasons, but said the bonfire night events regularly raised an average of £2,000 each year, which would benefit a number of local charities.

He said: “Schools, churches, everyone in the village benefits. Money goes to the panto, the Scouts, everyone.

“Customers are shocked, totally shocked but they appreciate we can’t go ahead with it without insurance.

"If I took the money raised by the event and put it towards insurance, there would be nothing left to give away, so there would be no point in doing it.”

Gordon said he would consider hosting an event next year, but the future looked uncertain for bonfires at The Ebor.

He said: “We started it off in the eighties when the community association ended and there was no bonfire around Bishopthorpe.

“We had a little bonfire in the garden for the children and 100 people turned up.

"We just continued with it from there and it got bigger and bigger, and looking at it, I think it’s got too big.

"We’re looking at next year, but no promises.”