An Edinburgh pub has been left gutted after a fire caused serious structural damage to their building this week.
Oz Bar on Candlemaker Row was one of the many businesses affected after a huge blaze broke out in the A-listed building that houses both Patisserie Valerie and the Elephant House cafe.
Emergency services were called not long after 6am on Tuesday and the fire continued to burn for well over 12 hours, with a floor reported to have collapsed and a firefighter taken to hospital for treatment.
The entirety of George IV Bridge was closed off as emergency services desperately tried to contain the blaze, however initial images from the scene have showed significant disrepair to the cafes on the street front.
Despite being in the basement of the building and facing the other direction, staff from Oz Bar shared the sad news on Saturday that they will not be able to reopen for some time.
After facing a year of constant closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pub had only just been able to enjoy the lifting of level zero restrictions before being hit by the fire.
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Speaking to customers on social media, the bar said:
"Things are not looking great. The damage to the building is pretty substantial and it would seem there’s a real possibility the pub won’t re-open until 2022.
"It’s been a real sh***y couple of years and things were looking good but all good things come to and end, at least temporarily.
"Just want to give a maassive thanks to our friends from over the last 24 years who have made this place what it is today. Without you it wouldn’t be the same. Rest assured we will be back stronger than ever."
