Ironbridge pub could be out of action for months following fire

The Malthouse pub, on Wharfage, caught fire during a heavy downpour on Saturday night, with firefighters telling licensee Karl McGuire that water getting into an electricity meter caused the blaze.

Firefighters from Tweedale, Bridgnorth, Much Wenlock and Shrewsbury rushing to the scene at around 8pm.

Mr McGuire says he was at home putting his children to bed when he learned of the blaze from his general manager.

"It was during a downpour. I'd not seen rain like it before, and then my general manager called to say we had water coming through the ceiling," he said.

"Moments later he called back to say there was a fire and he had got everybody out."

Mr McGuire added that the pub was full at the time of the blaze but praised his quick-thinking staff.

"I am so glad they are trained well," he said.

After surveying the damage, Mr McGuire said he expected it will be "months rather than weeks" before they can open properly again.

"I have been in and there's a lot of smoke damage so it will have to be fixed properly," he said.

"We are looking at seeing if we can trade outside, perhaps bring in a pizza oven or hold barbecues as we want to continue serving the night-time economy of Ironbridge, which is a great place for people to go for a night out and we don't want to lose people to the surrounding towns. So we are in talks with our insurer to make sure we can do something.

"It couldn't have happened at a worse time," he added.

"We were in the middle of summer which is the peak trading period and by the time we open again we are going to be getting close to winter."

However, he said The Malthouse had previously survived floods and the Covid crisis.

"I'm sure we will be okay as we have the people, we just need to pull it all together," he added.

"I want to make sure this closure is as short as can be so I want to open as soon as possible."