Toby Carvery fireplace sees roof collapse as flames ‘take maintain’ of well-liked pub chain
Dramatic photos show a Toby Carvery restaurant has been gutted by fire in the early hours of this morning. Six fire engines and an aerial ladder were needed to tackle the blaze
Dramatic pictures show the aftermath of a fire at a Toby Carvery after fierce flames tore through the roof. Six fire engines and an aerial platform ladder were called to battle the inferno at the Mitchell and Butlers site in Eastleigh, Hampshire, in the early hours of this morning.
Locals were warned to keep their windows shut tight as it took fire crews hours to tame the flames. Regular Nick Eaden was gobsmacked, saying: “It’s shocking. I’ve only seen what it looks like from the back of the building but it looks like the fire really took hold.
“We eat and drink here quite regularly and it’s a real shame to see it like this, as I said it must be an old building. Hopefully the company is in a position where they can repair it but I don’t know how straightforward that will be.”
Thankfully, no one was injured, Mitchell and Butlers, the company who owns the pubs, reports the Mirror.
A local, who didn’t want to be named, said: “I couldn’t believe it, somebody told me what had happened this morning. Me and my wife have two dogs and we sometimes come here for a drink as you’re able to sit outside by the river. It’s awful really, the damage looks really bad and hopefully nobody was hurt.”
Independent Hampshire County Councillor Louise Parker-Jones said: “I hope no one has been injured due to the fire at the River Inn/Toby Carvery. A huge thank you for the efforts of our fire service.”
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service were forced to close the surrounding roads after crews arrived this morning.
Incident Commander Mark Caplen praised fire crews for working ‘tirelessly and efficiently’ and confirmed that the cause of the blaze is not suspicious.
He said: “Our teams were called at 3:40 am this morning to tackle a significant fire at a restaurant in Bishopstoke. Crews worked tirelessly and efficiently to contain the blaze, which had spread to the building’s roof and first floor. Firefighters are continuing efforts at the scene to identify and extinguish remaining hotspots as part of the ongoing process of turning over and damping down.
“This work is expected to continue throughout the remainder of the afternoon. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time, though there is no indication of suspicious circumstances.”
Mitchell and Butlers, one of the UK’s largest operators of restaurants, pubs and bars with over 1,700 establishments, said it is unclear when the Toby Carvery will be able to reopen.
It said the Toby Cavery in Hilsea offers guests an alternative – but this is around 20 miles away near Portsmouth.
A Toby Carvery spokesperson expressed their gratitude, stating: “We are grateful and wish to thank the emergency services who have responded to the fire at our Bishopstoke restaurant which has ensured no one was harmed or injuries occurred.
“Once we have a clear understanding of the cause and extent of the damage we will provide further updates on the timeline for the reopening of the restaurant. In the meantime, we apologise to guests who were planning to visit us and are currently contacting them to offer alternative options at our nearest Toby Carvery in Hilsea, or at our sister restaurants which locally include Harvester, Vintage Inns and carvery at the White Swan in Mansbridge.”
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