A devastated landlord has seen his Christmas trade go up in flames after a fire ripped through his pub.

David Goulding has been forced to shut The Hoy in Fort Hill, Margate, following the blaze last Monday.

Crews spent an hour fighting the fire, but were unable to save the pub’s kitchen, which was completely destroyed.

Mr Goulding says it has had a devastating impact on his business.

“We’ve had to cancel over 400 Christmas meals, and that’s without taking into consideration the day-to-day meals,” he said.

“We also can’t do the meals for the homeless; it is such a shame.”

The pub has also had to cancel 70 booked in on Christmas Day.

“I don’t think we’re going to be up and running again until February, at least,” Mr Goulding said.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

“They think they’re going to need to pull the ceilings down because there are seven residential flats above that have fire damage too.

“Two flats even thought they were on fire when it happened, not realising it was in our pub below.

“I am absolutely gutted.

“We have lost the business we had been building up.

“The customers have been so supportive though - it has been really touching.

“Some have even said they’d rather cancel their Christmas meal and re-book with us when we’re open again in February, rather than go with anyone else.”

It was originally thought the fire originated in a bin under a worktop in the kitchen, but Mr Goulding says it started in an internal wall.

He said: “The cause was nothing to do with a bin, it started in an internal wall and there was a serious explosion at 6.15pm on the Monday evening.

“The forensics think it may have been the butane bottle that we use for cooking - it could happen to anyone.”