A popular Cotswolds pub has issued a statement after a fire – as a man admits growing cannabis in a private property directly above the licenced premises.
Firefighters were called to The Crown Inn in Cerney Wick, near Cirencester, at around 11pm on Sunday (27 March) following reports of a “well-developed” blaze.
The flames were swiftly battled by six fire crews from Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. On inspecting the building, firefighters found a small cannabis farm in an upstairs property.
Two men were arrested in connection with the discovery – with one admitting to police that they grew the plants. He was given a caution on the condition that he completes a drug dependency programme.
The property in which the cannabis plants were located was directly above The Crown Inn’s kitchen, also home to Asha Indian Kitchen. However, the accommodation is not accessible or in any way linked to its management or its staff.
A spokesperson for The Crown Inn said: “At approximately 11pm on Sunday (27 March), a fire broke out in our kitchen as a result of an electrical fault in one of our refrigerators.
“Fortunately, the fire crews were on scene within minutes and swiftly tackled the flames. Sadly, this has left substantial damage but we are pleased that nobody was injured during the incident.
“An inspection was carried out by firefighters and subsequently, a small cannabis set-up was discovered in a privately owned flat above The Crown. This property has no connection with The Crown, its management or its staff.”
Foyez Rahman, manager at Asha Indian Kitchen, said: “We were devastated to find our kitchen had burned down, but the situation became even more complicated when the authorities discovered what was happening in the private property above.
“Our team are working tirelessly to come back from this disaster by exploring new possibilities of a temporary outside ‘pop-up pub’ with Relish’s backing.
“We appreciate the kind words from customers so far and cannot wait to greet them again when we’re back up and running.”
