Nationally, about 360 pubs will have closed their doors by the end of this year, equating to almost one a day, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), external.
It said 27 had closed across Yorkshire and the Humber region since January.
Two decades ago, the Spring Bank Tavern faced competition from at least four other venues nearby, but all have fallen by the wayside.
Morris said she was aware of the challenges facing the industry, but “owed it to the building” to preserve it.
“It’s always in the back of your mind, but again, if you don’t try, you don’t know. I think it’s worth the risk.”
Half a mile away on the northern edge of the city centre stands another traditional pub, The New County.
New landlord Richard Hall is an architect by trade and says he had “no intention” of taking over the venue until he was asked by the owner of the building to see if he thought it could be turned into a shop (a nearby pub, the East Riding Hotel, was given planning permission to do just that in 2025).
“I told him it should stay as a pub,” Hall says. “He said, ‘Well, will you run it?’ and I said, Yeah, I’ll have a go.”