FOR years it was one of the busiest pubs in the close- knit fishing community off Hessle Road.
Now, the former Lion Hotel is set for a new lease of life as an apartment block.
Currently nearing completion, the conversion of the local landmark in Newton Street, west Hull, is part of a £2.3m programme being carried out in the city by social enterprise company Probe.
It marks a radical change of direction for the Hull not-for-profit organisation, which was set up almost 20 years ago.
When four very different conversion schemes are completed, it will take on a new role as a social landlord, using some of the rental income to help fund other projects, including training and job creation schemes.
The newly named Lion House project also has the seal of approval of the pub's former landlady Kath Mellors.
She ran the pub for 15 years with her husband Peter until 1989. Before then, her mother- in-law Maud Mellors had been in charge for 20 years.
She said: "We had many happy years at the pub and still have a lot of happy memories.
"I was sad when it eventually closed down a few years ago, so it's great to see it being refurbished and brought back into use.
"Back when Maud had it, the fishing industry was still on the go and I'm told it was a very popular place among the skippers."
Probe general manager Steve Alltoft said: "It has been a steep learning curve for us but it's also been very rewarding to be able to work on something like this.
"There will be seven apartments here, including what I call the penthouse flat on the top floor, where you can see the Humber Bridge from the window."
The single one-bed and six two-bed flats will all be classed as affordable housing, one of the stipulations of the Government-backed Empty Homes initiative, which is funding the facelift scheme. A number of other social enterprise organisations and Hull City Council are also carrying out similar conversion projects under the same banner.
Probe's other schemes include a seven-unit conversion of a former shop and offices in Wright Street, city centre; the creation of five two-bed houses in what used to be the Belmont Social Club in Newbridge Road, east Hull; and turning the derelict Holderness Road birthplace of film industry tycoon J Arthur Rank into five flats.
Mr Alltoft said: "It is a significant step for Probe.
"We have bought and sold a number of properties before as part of training projects but this is a whole new ball game for us.
"What this does is give us a really sustainable model by being able to provide affordable housing and use some the rent to support some of our other services."
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