LANDLORDS left homeless when the front of the pub they lived in collapsed in a dramatic crash aim to be back in business by Christmas.
Two cars ploughed into the Bridge Inn, Boughton, in July with one car ending up on top of the other before both were covered in rubble.
Licensees Alice and Paul Lloyd and their children Harvey and Ella were asleep when the crash happened but remarkably all four escaped unhurt.
Two men and a woman, who were in the cars, were seriously injured and another man, who allegedly left the scene, was later arrested and remains on police bail.
Mr and Mrs Lloyd and the children moved to temporary accommodation in Hoole but hope to return to the Tarvin Road pub in December.
Extensive repair and refurbishment work starts on Monday and the couple are planning to hold a huge re-opening party on Saturday, December 22.
They wrote on the pub’s Twitter page: “Hello friends. We will be re-opening with a huge party that you are all invited to – I'll regret saying that – on Saturday, December 22.”
Mr Lloyd, who moved into the pub with his wife in December, 2011, said he had his “fingers crossed everything goes smoothly”.
Regulars have been waiting for news on the pub’s future ever since the crash and many have posted good luck messages on the pub’s Facebook page.
Craig Rodric wrote: “Great news. Good luck with everything. Your home will be back up soon.”
Emergency crews raced to the pub shortly after 6.30am on July 1 and found a BMW X5 on top of a Vauxhall Astra and a gaping hole in the front of the pub.
Firefighters had to cut one casualty free from the wreckage and Tarvin Road was closed while investigations were carried out.
Two days later Cheshire Police arrested a 31-year-old man from Chester when he reported to a police station on suspicion of Section 18 assault, criminal damage, dangerous driving, failing to stop after a road traffic collision, failing to report a road traffic collision and driving whilst unfit.
He answered bail on Wednesday and has been rebailed until October pending further inquiries.