Fire-damaged pub in Bridgwater will not be re-opened

The Knowle Inn was gutted by a huge blaze on August 2, 2022, prompting a 999 call at 3.05am.

Crews from nine fire stations worked to tackle the blaze at the Bath Road pub.The Knowle Inn will not be re-opened unless bought by new owners. (Image: Steve Richardson)Stonegate Pub Company, who own The Knowle Inn, have now taken the 'difficult' decision to not re-open the building.

In an email seen by the Mercury, a spokesperson for Stonegate Pub Company said: "After much discussion with our insurance company and with a heavy heart we have had to take the difficult decision not to reinstate the property.

"We understand that this will have an impact on the local community, which we truly wanted to avoid but, unfortunately, we are left with no alternative.

"The property will be offered for sale and, depending on the purchaser, may be reinstated as a public house in the future.

"Please be assured that we did not take this decision lightly."

Shortly after the blaze in 2022, a customer at the pub, who lives in the village, said the inn's landlady Caz Smith had worked hard to make a success of the business.

He said: "She's worked extremely hard at that pub after taking over in 2020.

"The place was empty when the fire broke out, but it's very much an open business.

"I feel so much for Caz. It's such a shame."The remnants of the building after the blaze. (Image: Burnham-on-Sea Fire Station)

Meanwhile, Caz took to social media with the following message: "Absolutely devastated to be putting this post but at 3.00 this morning I received a phone call from the police informing me that the pub was on fire.

"Luckily there was no one in the pub at this time, everyone is ok. Myself and ju are here now trying to find out what has happened but the pub is gone, everything is burnt."

Pictures posted by emergency services that helped extinguish the fire showed the extent of the damage, as the building appeared to have been reduced to a shell of its former structure.