The Bayshill Pub Cheltenham, recently renovated, has been forced to close for at least 6 weeks due to an electrical fire. The fire began in the basement of the pub, found in St. George’s Place after a consumer unit sparked a fire that ripped through the floorboards on Sunday at approximately 7 pm. The fire took nearly 3 hours to get under control with the aid of more than 20 firemen, no injuries were reported. Fabio Thomas, the barman working at the time of the fire said he heard a loud bang from the cellar, and upon investigating saw a small flame and black smoke coming from the consumer unit. Lisa Barnes the landlady will now suffer a loss of trade for more than 6 weeks as well as face a hefty bill for repairs.

She had only taken over the pub from Fred Boxall in February last year, having worked for him for over 2 years. She and the rest of her team had been looking forward to enjoying and celebrating the anniversary of taking over the pub. With the help of the staff and volunteers, they decorated the pub with new carpet and furniture as well as sanding down all the floorboards. She said: “Unfortunately, we will be closed for a few weeks as we go through the repairs. It is all contained to one area and I guess it was a good thing there were not many people in at that time. It has come as a shock really. I have no idea how it happened.”

“Can you imagine if this happened over Christmas or New Year? That would be a lot worse. Thank God it happened now and not Christmas. It’s hard to say how much all the repairs are going to cost, but it will be quite a bit. The firefighters had to break through the floorboards because the entrance to the cellar is tiny. “They tried three times to get through to the fire, but couldn’t. There were more than 20 of them and a lot of equipment. There was also a lot of black smoke, and it was all a bit manic on Sunday. “

Ricky and Jenny Rabjohns, who had lived just above the pub, were forced to move out and stay with family members after the water and electricity had to be cut off. The couple had rushed home from their evening out when they heard about the incident.

“We will come back better from this. I’ve had brilliant support from the regulars who normally come here,” she added. The building has been a pub for at least 160 years, with records dating back to 1856, under the name Bayshill Brewery.