COUNCIL bosses have insisted they will claw back some of the cash used to demolish the historic Waterside pub.

The 200-year-old listed building, situated in a conservation area in the Irwell Valley, in Summerseat, collapsed during the devastating Boxing Day floods.

Local authority chiefs said they were left with no choice but to knock down the building, in Kay Street, as leaving it could have been dangerous, especially if the heavy rain was to return.

The shutdown pub was re-opened by businessman Mr Khan, who runs property company Kingsley Estates and spent £70,000 to bring it back to its former glory in 2010.

However, the pub’s success only lasted a matter of years after it closed down again in 2012.

A spokesman for Bury Council, confirmed the cost of the demolition and said: “The £20,000 figure for repairs quoted is provisional, and we are awaiting invoices to determine the full amount.

“There are a variety of options open to us to reclaim this money from the owner of the site, and we are examining those at the moment. We can promise, however, that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the costs will not fall on local taxpayers.”