A year after a devastating fire, the Coachlight Inn rises from the ashes

BRANTINGHAM, N.Y. (WWNY) - What a difference a year makes. Last March, the Coachlight Inn burned to the ground. Now it’s back and better than ever.

On the evening of March 11, 2020, the owners of the Coachlight Inn in Brantingham watched their beloved restaurant burn to the ground.

The next day, we joined them as they sifted through the ashes, looking for anything they could salvage.

One year later, Robert and Shelly Doney have a new place to be proud of.

“Everything came out beautiful,” said Robert.

The nearly 3,200 square-foot building was constructed with the help of donations, time, and hard work.

“Just the whole community was fantastic,” said Robert.

Tom Osborn is a longtime Coachlight customer.

“We stopped up a few days afterwards and offered our condolences and couldn’t wait to get the place rebuilt,” he said.

Osborne wasn’t the only one eager to see the inn reopen.

“We’ve been coming up and looking at the progress from time to time, and excited to see the finished product, and it’s beautiful,” said Cathy Buckingham, Coachlight Inn customer.

The Doneys have a message for the community.

“Just thank you to everybody for everything that you’ve gone and how kind everybody’s been. I can’t wait to see all of The new building gives the owners and the customers of the Coachlight Inn hope for brighter days ahead.

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