Fire at Grade II listed pub
Crews called to incident at The Bull Inn’s coach house
EMERGENCY services were sent to a Grade II listed pub in Arborfield Cross after an outbuilding caught fire, with large flames visible.
Full details are yet to emerge, but the incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday, April 9, at The Bull Inn at the Arborfield Cross roundabout.
The pub dates back to the early 18th century, with deeds suggesting it was established by 1707.
It was the stables outbuilding next to the pub that was on fire.
The wooden structure has been seriously damaged, with the roof and walls seriously damaged.
Pub garden furniture also caught fire, this has been left out in the courtyard area.
Thames Valley Police closed roads around Arborfield Cross roundabout while the blaze was brought under control, and an image they posted at 5.45am on Tuesday morning showed large flames engulfing the buildings.
The fire was put out before 7am, and crews from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service were on site assessing the damage.
A team from Thames Water were also called to the scene, presumably to help with the flow of water to the fire service’s efforts to dampen the flames.
The roads are now reopened, apart from a stretch of Swallowfield Road next to the stables building.
The Bull Inn itself appears to be unaffected by the blaze, although there will be smoke damage.
A spokesperson for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 4.07am on 9 April 2024, we received reports of a fire at a commercial premises in Swallowfield Road, Arborfield.
“Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Wokingham, Whitley Wood, Wokingham Road, Caversham Road, Bracknell, Crowthorne, Windsor, the Environmental Protection Unit from Whitley Wood and the Incident Command Unit from Maidenhead were sent to the scene.
“Three Officers were also sent to the scene.
“Upon arrival, firefighters found a fire affecting an outbuilding, including a large patio area.
“Crews wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire using four hose reels and three main jets, before damping down the area.
“Firefighters were on the scene for about three hours and 19 minutes.”
The owners of the pub said: “We are absolutely devastated and shocked, but grateful that no one was harmed and all our staff are safe.
“We will remain closed whilst we deal with the situation and will keep everyone updated with our progress.”
The owners also thanked everyone for their support and kind words.
While the pub itself is a Grade II listed building, the stables is a recreation of the original.
The Arborfield Local History Society said the original buildings had deteriorated badly by 2004, and was damaged in a gale.
It was rebuilt by 2007.
Parts of the building are believed to date back to the 17th century.
There is no indication yet as to whether the parts of the property will be repaired.
A spokesperson for Historic England, the body responsible for listed properties, told Wokingham Today: “Our guidance depends on the case and the severity of the fire.
“Generally, we will work with the owner and the local council to assess the damage and look at the structure/parts of the building that can be saved and provide advice and guidance on next steps.
“Rebuilding advice is also on a case by case basis, working in collaboration with the owner of the site and the local council.”