Former pub the Catford Bridge Tavern damaged in fire
A former pub building in Catford, south-east London, has been damaged by fire after a blaze took hold yesterday evening.
The now-closed Catford Bridge Tavern was attended to by eight fire engines and 58 firefighters, with services called just before 6pm on 1 March.
The cause of the fire is as yet unknown but it is not thought to be suspicious.
Station manager Kevin McKenzie, who was at the scene, said: "Crews worked hard in challenging conditions to prevent further fire spread throughout the building.
"Fortunately no people other than the four taken to hospital with smoke inhalation were involved."
The pub closed down in November 2013, when then-manager Antic London moved the operation a short distance further into the town centre, to another (still-operational) property named the Catford Constitutional Club.
Tesco bought the lease to the property at the end of 2012, amid a local campaign for the council to step in to protect the building as a pub.
Antic was then reportedly invited back to run the pub, but evicted again after Tesco said it had found alternative management. Today the supermarket giant confirmed that it had surrendered the lease back to the current owner in August 2014, which it named as Solitaire Restaurant Holdings, and a spokesperson said Tesco had "nothing to do with the property any more".
Local residents have tweeted that there has been little sign of definitive refurbishment - either as a supermarket or a pub â' since the site closed.
Solitaire Restaurant Holdings is also registered as the owner of Camden pub the Lock Tavern, but at the time of writing could not be reached for a comment on possible plans for the Catford site.
13th-century pub badly damaged in fire >>