The landmark pub in Swan Street will throw its doors open once again to the public after it was almost written off in last year’s April super storm.

Hotelier Dale McNamara made a commitment to rebuild the property and reopen it as a pub  when his right hand man Francois Sylvester lost his battle with cancer, the same week the hotel was scheduled to be auctioned.

Mr McNamara told Fairfax Media in June that he was ready to sell the hotel which Mr Sylvester loved but withdrew it from the market when he died.

“When I heard there was interest from people wanting to turn it into a B and B and the liquor licence may not be renewed I had second thoughts,” he said.

The new look River Royal Inn has been restored to its former glory with a twist.

It now tells the story of Morpeth’s history through items of historical significance scattered around the 160-year-old property.

Mr McNamara worked with Morpeth Museum to document the town’s past as part of the rebuilding project.

New licensee Daniel Storey said the restoration has brought the hotel back to its former glory.

He said most of the interior had been gutted, leaving the exterior shell.

Mr Storey said the extensive project inside the hotel has been tastefully done and has retained the integrity of the building’s heritage.

“The aim was really to retain its heritage and charm,” he said.

“It was a massive refurbishment and now that’s complete we can concentrate on our business focus.”

He said the hotel is concentrating on good food, good beer and a family friendly environment.

He said the outdoor beer garden has also undergone a spruce up.

“We also want to cater for Morpeth’s strong tourist element. Seeing we’re located a little out of the town we needed to do something to attract the tourists down this end of Swan Street,” he said.

While the hotel opened in 1876 as The Royal Hotel, it was many years under construction with building work starting in 1818.

It was declared unsafe after a wall of water surged through the lower half of the building last year. The hotel was boarded up and later placed on the market for $859,000.

In its heyday the hotel catered for shipping, railway workers and passengers arriving at the local wharves and station. Morpeth’s role as one of the most important river ports in NSW began in the 1820s. In 1867 there were 11 hotels operating in the village.