Newcastle Quayside pubs based in a building which was the scene of a fire are expected to be open for business today, the owner has revealed.
Dramatic scenes engulfed the Quayside last night as emergency services descended on Sandhill, where a fire had broken out in the roof of a historic building housing a number of popular pubs.
Drinkers and staff at the Quilted Camel, Bob Trollope’s, Redhouse and Offshore 44 pubs were safely evacuated when fire alarms sounded shortly before 5pm on Wednesday. Police officers were called to support Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.
Go here for the latest news live from Newcastle city centre
At the time, firefighters were said to be dealing with a ‘large scale’ incident in the Grade II Listed building and a number of road closures were in place while the emergency services dealt with the incident.
However owner Ollie Vaulkhard – director of Vaulkhard Leisure, which owns a number of bars, restaurants and cafes across the city – played down the fire, and said he expected the pubs to be open for business today.
He said: “We expect to be trading today. It wasn’t in the Quilted Camel. It was actually the roof of the building that houses the Quilted Camel, Bob Trollope’s, Offshore and Redhouse and we don’t know exactly what’s caused it but suspect that the wind has damaged a small chimney, lighting a small bit of roof.
“I’m standing there now, and we could open all the ground floor pubs and the Quilted Camel. There is some damage to the roof, which is going to be quite a challenge, but it was actually a very small fire.
“No-one was injured – when the fire alarms went off customers were evacuated, everyone is safe.
“Last night it would have looked very dramatic, and we ended up with about eight fire engines and around 35 fire firefighters coming down. It was put out by two firemen on a ladder.”
He added: “As it stands, everything is looking fine for us to trade.”
The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that six appliances, a command unit, duty officers and an aerial ladder were deployed to the area. They received the call at 4.42pm.
A spokesperson said this morning: “We can confirm that our crews left the scene after extinguishing a fire at a commercial property on the Quayside last night at 9:20pm.
"Our investigation into the fire will begin today.”
For the latest local breaking news direct to your inbox as it happens, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
