Underfall Yard fire: Bristol businesses determined to 'bounce back'

Bristol Community Ferry Boats say they have lost the maintenance side of their business

Businesses devastated by a boat yard fire have said they are "in shock" but determined to bounce back.

The blaze happened at Underfall Yard in Bristol in the early hours of Saturday.

The boat yard has been crucial to the operation and maintenance of the city's floating harbour, which dates back to the early 1800s.

Bristol Community Ferry Boats (BCFB) maintenance manager John Raymond-Barker said he had lost decades worth of equipment in the fire.

He said: "Everything from 30 years of work has just gone, completely disappeared.

"I got a job as the ferry maintenance manager when my business closed, so I had all my tools in there.

"It's been a shock. We'll bounce back but it's been hard."

Fire officers stopped the fire from spreading by moving a burning boat away from others

The yard is home to maritime businesses involved in boatbuilding, marine engineering, metal work and training.

BCFB co-director Carrie Browne said the whole of the maintenance side of the business had been destroyed.

"We've lost all of our equipment. We were really lucky that all of our vessels were down at the mud dock, so safely away from where the fire was at the time," she said.

"We need the maintenance in order to run our ferries. We're hoping to bounce back quickly from this.

"We're still running all of our services," she added.

'Sense of loss'

Deputy chair of the Underfall Yard Trust James Durie said there was "a real sense of loss for the yard".

"I'm really sad. But we'll build back stronger from this.

"For the immediate time we need to take the right steps to support the businesses impacted, to make sure that we make the place safe," he said.

James Durie said the city would "build back stronger from this"

"We want to build back something even better than what we had here before.

"People are still coming to terms with it and we have seven businesses who are now homeless and need support.

"We - together with the City Council and others - need to support them," Mr Durie added.

Robert Boyd-Stevenson, 45, of Headford Road in Knowle, Bristol, has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the fire.

He is due to appear at Bristol Crown Court on 5 June.  

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