Fire crews battle bar blaze on Edinburgh's Cowgate

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service dispatched four appliances to the scene at the Cowgate

Firefighters have tackled a large blaze at a bar in Edinburgh's Cowgate.

The fire broke out at the three-storey Ox184, between Blair Street and Guthrie Street, at about 16:00 on Monday.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service dispatched four fire engines and a height appliance to the scene, while Police Scotland set up a large cordon.

Crews extinguished the flames and left the scene by 20:30.

Pedestrians and motorists had been told to avoid the area while the road was closed between the Grassmarket and Guthrie Street.

Posting on Instagram, the bar said it would be "closed until further notice".

Those living or working nearby were told to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke in the area.

Crews were seen using hoses to douse the roof from above and below.

The Scottish Ambulance Service also attended but there are no reports of any casualties.

The bar was badly damaged by a previous fire in January 2018 and remained closed for about six months.