Kentish Express Ashford & District
Business as usual just 24 hours after bar fire
Twenty-four hours after a fire tore through a town centre bar’s roof the venue was back open for business.
Fire crews and police were called to The Auction House Bar, in New Street, at 11.50am last Wednesday (August 13), after a blaze started in the roof space.
Crews were at the scene for just over an hour extinguishing the flames and making the scene safe.
However, after staff worked all night to clear up the damage, the bar was up and running the very next day.
Owner Alan Daly said: “With the help of some friends and really good staff – and working through the night – we were open on the Thursday night.
Strike
“The bar wasn’t affected by the fire. It started in the space above the toilets, which was used as storage.
“The fire service were brilliant. Even though they were on strike their quick action meant only one room suffered damage.”
In total, five fire engines, two high access vehicles, police and ambulances were called to the blaze, which is believed to have been triggered by an electrical fault. No one was injured.
Bar manager Sean Furlong was enjoying a day off when he drove past the business and noticed all the commotion.
He said: “The bar was open at the time and had to be evacuated.”
Nearby Cafè Nero and the Centre for Creativity and Enterprise (CCE) were also evacuated as a precaution and Gilbert Road and part of New Rents were cordoned off by police. The fire was out by 1pm. The Auction House Bar, opposite Ashford’s First World War tank, opened at the end of May this year.
At the time, Mr Daly said he wanted to cater to a more mature clientele than other bars, pubs and clubs in the town.
The venue, previously known as The Source bar, offers premium spirits and craft beers, with staff trained in creating authentic cocktails from fresh ingredients.