The Castle Pub in Ashington 'heartbroken' after fire causes serious damage

A blaze started at The Castle Pub, on Woodhorn Road, at around 7pm on Monday, January 22 and took around four hours for firefighters to bring under control.

An investigation by Northumbria Police into the cause of the fire has begun. No injuries were reported.

A statement published on the pub’s Facebook page said: “As you all will be well aware our beloved bar, home, and business is currently up in flames.

“We are beyond devastated and heartbroken. We have built The Castle from nothing and expanded and improved it over the last 26 years.

“It is our home as well as our second family due to our regulars, friends old and new, and a thriving heart of the community.

“We massively appreciate all the messages and kind comments and grateful everyone is safe and nobody has been hurt.

“Thank you to the police and a massive thank you to the firemen, who are heroes.

“Timour built that bar up from the ground and there is no doubt in our mind he will do it again.”

The post has already received over 500 reactions and more than 100 supportive comments in response to the news.

Councillor Caroline Ball, who represents the neighbouring Ashington Central ward, said on Facebook: “Thoughts go out to Timour and his family and the staff and the wider Castle family.

“A good local becomes a second home to many people, a place of support, a warm hub before they were a thing, and many people will have fond memories of events, functions, and many a family doo at The Universal before it became The Castle.

“A repetition of thank you to the emergency services and other agencies last night. Not easy conditions to work in with the weather and the location as a main route of the town.

“Sad to see the news last night and best wishes to Timour, who has had businesses in the town since as long as I can remember.”

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that five fire crews responded to the incident, with five appliances and two aerial ladder platforms.

The fire was brought under control at around 11pm and fire crews remained on site until around 5am on Tuesday morning.

A section of the road was closed during the incident, but it has since been reopened.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 7pm yesterday, Monday, we received a report from the fire service of a fire at a premises on Woodhorn Road, in Ashington, Northumberland.

“Officers attended and a section of the road was closed while emergency services extinguished the fire, which was completed several hours later.

“No-one is believed to have been injured in the incident and the road is now fully re-open.

“A cordon is in place around the premises and an investigation into the cause of the fire is now underway.”

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 7.50pm yesterday evening, Monday, January 22, to reports of a fire at The Castle Pub in Ashington.

“Our services were not needed and we were stood down by our colleagues at the police.”