An Arsenal football club fan pub in Finsbury Park remains closed after the roof collapsed on drinkers last week.
Police and fire services were called to the Arsenal Tavern at 5:15pm on Sunday afternoon but confirmed there were no serious injuries. Once on the scene, a drone was used to hover above the pub to check the damage.
On Monday morning, traffic was temporarily blocked on Blackstock Road as five scaffolding trucks arrived at the pub. Mountgrove road remains closed, with cars and vans blocking the entrance while scaffolding is put up.
The pub, on the corner of Blackstock road and Mountgrove road, is a favourite among Gunners fans. It was closed in July 2019 but was renovated and reopened under the new management of Enterprise Inns in December.
Sezar Gazel, who owns Sunlight Kebab shop directly opposite the pub, was in the shop’s kitchen at the time of the incident.
“I was in the kitchen when I heard a loud crash. I came out and saw seven or eight people coming out of the pub, but they weren’t injured. Then loads of police cars and fire engines arrived.”
“I didn’t know what was going on but later I found out the roof had fallen in.”
It is not clear what caused the roof of the pub to collapse, with local businesses still in the dark.
“We’ve heard nothing”, said Luke, owner of White Brothers Greengrocers. “All we know is that the roof collapsed and that’s it.”
A spokesperson for Ei Publican Partnerships said: “We are aware of the incident at the Arsenal Tavern and are working closely with the Emergency Services. We’d like to reassure the local community that we aim to reopen the pub as soon as possible.”
