THE Castle Inn on Mill Bridge, Skipton, has closed for a £200,000 refurbishment.

The investment by Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars is expected to take five weeks and The Castle, which currently holds the White Rose Award for Best Pub in Yorkshire, is scheduled to reopen in mid-November.

Five new jobs are expected to be created across the kitchen and bar areas.

The refurbishment is the pub’s second in less than five years and and the work will include increasing the size of the pub to add seating for 30 more people, creating a meeting room and a bespoke spirits and cocktail bar, installing new toilets and upgrading the kitchen.

Licensee Calvin Dow is appealing for anyone with old photographs, pictures or documents relating to The Castle to bring them in for a new display charting the pub’s history. Dating back to the 1700s, the former coaching inn is believed to have tunnels running from its cellar to Skipton Castle.

“There are rumours of priests holes too and we’d really like to find out more about the role the pub played in Skipton’s history,” said Calvin.

The pub is also haunted by the ghost of an old lady who has been seen by Calvin and others over the years. “Our resident ghost wasn’t in favour of our last refurbishment in 2011. When we started discussing knocking down walls, a glass flew off the bar and smashed on the floor two metres away. There’s been no such drama this time round, so we’re hoping she’s given the plans her seal of approval,” said Calvin.