Two businessmen are determined to stay trading in Dover, despite their carpets and flooring shop being destroyed in a blaze.

Four fire engines were called to the ground-floor store in Bench Street early Thursday morning after a bouncer on his way home from work raised the alarm.

Mark Mascall, who runs the business with Malcolm Price, said: “It was completely gutting seeing the fire.

“We stood in the street in the rain watching the smoke coming out of the building for about four hours. We have lost absolutely everything, although a small amount of paper work has been rescued.

“The whole place was black, from front to back.

“But we have a good reputation in the town and we are established, so we are carrying on trading.”

Kent Fire and Rescue were called to Mascall Price Carpets and Flooring, which opened three years ago, just before 1am.

Crews wore breathing apparatus to enter the single-storey shop and were at the scene until 6am.

By Thursday lunchtime the store was boarded up and Mr Mascall and Mr Price had decided to carry on their business, despite the blaze.

Mr Mascall said: “Calls to our number 01304 214214 are being transferred to our mobile phones so customers can still contact us.

“We are back in business.”

Investigations are continuing into the cause of the blaze, but it is not being treated as suspicious.