Old bones discovered at flooded Wetherspoons ‘linked to ancient monastery’
Bones found at a Wetherspoon pub could date back to an old monastery which once stood on the same land, it is .
Builders were called to the Picture House in Stafford for major repairs after the pub took a heavy battering from Storm Christoph last month which left it flooded.
A startling discovery however forced the workmen to down tools on Tuesday when they unearthed bones which are now being tested to see whether they are human or not.
Police have now told Wetherspoon that the bones are likely linked to an old monastery building at the rear of the Bridge Street pub.
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Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon told StokeonTrentLive : "We've had a flood at the pub and workmen have been on site dealing with it.
"We were doing some excavation under the floor of the pub in front of the bar where flood water came in.
"During this one of the workmen discovered a large bone. We have now stopped work on this area.
"More bones were then found close by.
"We contacted police who then visited the pub.
"They believe it is connected to an old monastery building at the rear of the pub and that the bones are connected with that.
"Police have taken bones away for analysis and work has stopped until the police come back to us. They have confirmed the bones are old."
Officers were dispatched to the Picture House at around 2pm following the discovery.
They initially believed the bones were from an animal but this may not be the case.
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "Police attended a premises on Bridge Street in Stafford at around 2pm today (February 2) after a number of bones were discovered during construction work.
"Details of the bones are currently being analysed by forensic specialists. We are awaiting details of their findings."
The former cinema was bought by JD Wetherspoon in 1997 and the building is an essential part of Stafford’s heritage, dating from its original opening in 1914, as a silent film cinema that screened films up until the 1990s.
The building initially suffered severe damage when the River Sow and Penk burst its banks in October 2019.
A full £700,000 refurbishment was then carried out during the first national lockdown before punters were finally welcomed back in September following a number of delays.
It then faced suffered another setback last month after heavy rainfall led to flooding for a second time.
Wetherspoon hope the venue will reopen again when the national lockdown is eased on a date to be confirmed.
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