FRENCH restaurateur Johnny Mignon has battled fire, floods and ice to keep one of Oxford’s best-known pubs open for customers.

Now, to mark the second anniversary of the reopening of The Perch in Binsey, he is staging a special photographic exhibition on his struggle.

Mr Mignon, 34, is displaying about 20 large pictures inside the pub as a reminder of how a thatch fire in May 2007 was followed by devastating floods two months later.

He said: “The aim of the exhibition was to remind people of all the adversity we went through, the fire and then the floods, and I am delighted to say that we have still managed to turn things around.”

The double heartache was not the end of Mr Mignon’s troubles, however.

“In January this year we were completely snowed in for three weeks.

“It almost broke me financially but I didn’t give up and since February we have been heaving and have enjoyed a fantastic summer.

“We have lots of bookings for later in the year and the future now looks a lot brighter.”

He said: “All my possessions were destroyed and when I was selecting the photos it brought all the memories flooding back and I felt very emotional.”

In May 2007, 80 firefighters were called to the 17th century Perch after a faulty chimney flue set the thatched roof ablaze.

Mr Mignon said: “It’s a tough time for pubs at the moment but I am very optimistic about the future.” It’s not the first time the pub has burnt down. A drinker from California this month recorded in its visitors’ book how The Perch fell foul of the fire 33 years ago.

Ian Boal, from California, wrote: “My companion and I were in The Perch that night in 1977 when it burned down.

“We were asked to step outside for a few minutes and took our beers outside and watched the thatch catch fire.

“There was a steady wind blowing from the north east which made it impossible for the brave firemen who went into the burning pub with masks and oxygen cylinders.

“We were stunned by the speed with which the beloved Perch had burned down. We haven’t been back for 33 years so we are delighted to be back in our old haunt. We are delighted that another fire can not quell the spirit of this old hostelry.”