A pub part-owned by England cricketer Stuart Broad has had to close after a “significant fire” caused severe damage to the building. A blaze broke out at the award-winning Tap & Run country pub and kitchen in Upper Broughton in the early hours of Saturday.
A message on the pub’s Twitter account said bosses were “heartbroken to see our beautiful pub up in flames”, but were thankful no-one was hurt. The popular eatery won Pub of the Year 2021 in Leicestershire and made it on to the Times list of the best places in Britain for Sunday lunch in 2022.
Mr Broad, who is currently playing on day two of the second Test at Trent Bridge against New Zealand, jointly owns the pub with former Nottinghamshire seamer Harry Gurney. Mr Gurney told Nottinghamshire Live: "We are obviously devastated but relieved that there was no loss of life."
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He added: "We are so sorry that we will be unable to honour any bookings for the foreseeable future and sorry for any distress that the fire has caused to villagers. We will keep everyone updated on social media in the coming days and weeks."
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said the property had been severely damaged with a fire in the roof still burning by mid-morning on Saturday. In a tweet shortly before 4.30am, the fire service said it had eight fire engines at the scene in Main Road, Upper Broughton.
The blaze is believed to have been accidental, the fire service said in a later statement. In an update on Saturday afternoon, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The fire is completely out but we’ll back throughout the day to make sure it stays that way. Believed to be an accidental fire. Main Road is open. Thanks to all in local area for your patience and understanding.”
Local residents voice their upset at the closure of the pub. Kirit Chauham, who has lived in the village for the past six years, told Nottinghamshire Live: "We woke up and knew something wasn’t quite right as we had no water, that was at around 5.30am. We looked on Twitter and then found out what was happening.
"It’s a nice pub, it’s going to be a real shame as it will set it back probably a year at least, to be honest. They might have to rebuild it and I feel very sorry for all the staff, too. It’s been a great community pub. Before they [Broad and Gurney] came it was quite run down and they have really turned it around. It’s a real shame."
Broad, who is engaged to former Saturdays singer and BBC Radio 1 presenter Mollie King, and Gurney launched the Cat and Wickets Pub Company in 2016 along with friend and experienced pub manager Dan Cramp. The pub was formerly known as The Golden Fleece, which had been closed for two years prior to the Cat and Wickets taking it on - it reopened as the Tap & Run gastropub in September 2018.
The pub is located on the Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire border, near Melton Mowbray.
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