ARSONISTS are believed to have torched an empty pub in South Oxford – just before a deal was struck with a new landlord.

Fire crews were called to the blaze at the Berkshire House, in Abingdon Road, at the junction with Vicarage Road, at about 2am today.

Brewers Greene King said a new landlord was due to sign paperwork yesterday to take over the pub, which closed on February 18.

Spokesman Elaine Beckett said: “We were due to approve a new licensee. Our property teams are on site assessing the extent of the damage.”

Nick Morris, regional manager for the brewery, added: “As soon as redevelopment works have been completed, we have every intention to reopen the pub with a new licensee.”

Thirty firefighters and five engines fought the flames on the ground floor of the building, with smoke billowing from the windows.

The blaze, which started at the back of the pub, destroyed the kitchen and severely damaged three ground-floor rooms, blackening every wall.

The building was unoccupied at the time and no-one was hurt, but a spokesman for Oxfordshire Fire Service said squatters may have been living on the first floor in recent weeks.

Incident commander Richard Bowley said: “Neighbours spotted flames coming from the ground-floor windows.

“The early indication from our investigation is that the fire was started deliberately.

“The pub is quite a rambling building so we had to carry out a thorough search to make sure no-one was inside.

“Luckily, the building is detached so there was no danger of the fire spreading, although we did evacuate one home because of the smoke.”

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “We were woken up at about 2am by about five fire engines. It was a bit scary because the smoke came into our house and we didn’t know how bad the fire was.

“The firefighters asked us to get out of our house until it was safe to go back inside.”

Mohammed Kharal, 26, owner of Sanaa Stores next door to pub, was woken by the sound of the fire engines. He said: “The pub hasn’t been doing that great over the past 12 months. It has been struggling and there have been quite a few changes of management.

“I was hoping it would have got reopened because it would have helped our trade.”

Pub regular Marie O’Sullivan, from Lake Street, said: “I am devastated because we heard rumours it was going to be taken over and reopened.”

The pub remained cordoned off this morning as firefighters hosed down the building to make sure it was safe, and drivers were forced to go slowly along Abingdon Road.

Police spokesman Danny Donovan said: “Officers are at the pub working with the fire service on the investigation.”

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