Cat's Pyjamas owner promises to fight back 'stronger' after fire causes Harrogate restaurant to close
Fire crews were called on Christmas Eve afternoon and the restaurant was evacuated as smoke filled the building.
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Hide AdIt is understood there were more than 100 bookings for the evening, but that all have had to be cancelled as the restaurant is not fit to open.
Owner Alison White opened the Indian street-food style restaurant in the summer, taking over the site of the former Prezzo Italian. It has had great reviews and is already a popular venue for the Harrogate community.
In 2014, the same building suffered a serious fire while under the ownership of the Prezzo Italian restaurant chain.A statement on the Cat's Pyjamas Facebook page reads: "Well Merry ***** Christmas! Our fryer has just caught fire at The Cat's Pyjamas and the whole building evacuated!"Looks like the fire has been contained and the damage isn't too much. Thankfully all the chefs in the kitchen are ok."Thanks so much to the chefs for trying to put the fire out themselves, but they didn't manage. The fire brigade are there now and Everyone is ok.The building is cursed! ♀ï¸
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Hide Ad"Anyone who sees any of our staff please put an arm around them, they are all in shock! We won't be able to serve anyone tonight! Sorry guys."What does not break us will make us stronger! We'll be back asap! Merry Christmas and look after each other!"There are no reports of any injuries.
A fire spokesperson said: "Crew were mobilised to a report of a fire in a kitchen at 1.07pm. Premises was heavily smoke logged due to a fire in a deep fat fryer, crews extinguished the fire using 4 Breathing apparatus and 2 hose reel jets."
The Cat's Pyjamas also has branches in Headingley, Leeds and York.