Diner ready for April date

The only American-themed diner in Cannock is on track to rise from the ashes by April after being destroyed by arsonists, its bosses revealed today.

Workers are battling to refit the OK Diner in Bridgtown and have already stripped out the charred remains left by the fire almost five months ago.

Repair work has now started on the roof and a new floor has been laid. Managing director Ian Hendry said: "People are working really hard to get it ready.

"It's all happening down there at the moment. It's been stripped out, flooring has gone down, the roof is being repaired and we will be ready to really start things rolling in the new year. We haven't got a clear date yet for it to re-open but we are looking at April."

The company, which has a string of diners across the country, works with two bric-a-brac firms to source themed items and has been trying to find pieces to replace those destroyed.

Regular customers inundated bosses with inquiries about the diner following the blaze and they dedicated a section of their website to updates so they could keep people posted.

The fire happened in the early hours of August 6. The restaurant was already well alight when two crews from Cannock fire station arrived.