West Sussex village pub fire: Everything we know so far as fire service brings incident 'under control'

Firefighters were called to a ‘significant’ blaze at the Gribble Inn pub – in Gribble Lane, Oving – around 7.30pm on Thursday (February 27).

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service stated: “Please avoid the area and keep doors and windows closed if you’re nearby.”

At 8pm, the service said the fire was ‘still ongoing’ and crews were ‘working hard to bring it under control’, adding: “The High Street is closed – please continue to avoid the area.”

The latest update, at 5.15am on Friday, read: “Crews have been working hard throughout the night and the fire is now under control.

“Our resources have been scaled down, and the remaining firefighters at the scene continue to dampen down hotspots.

“Please continue to avoid the area.”

The fire service confirmed the incident has been been scaled down to four fire engines and an aerial ladder platform.

Crews were still at the scene, dampening down hotspots, at 8.10am.

According to an AA traffic map, the High Street is no longer closed to traffic. The initial road closure led to delays in Gribble Lane both ways, from Marlpit Lane to High Street.

The pub, a 16th-century thatched cottage, was the scene of another major fire in July, 2014, when more than 90 firefighters were called.

The business describes itself on Facebook as a ‘beautiful 16th century pub’, with its own onsite brewery and ‘pretty garden, serving excellent food’.

Chichester Observer readers have expressed their shock after Sussex World reported the incident on Thursday night.

Clare Benfield wrote: “So sad to see, [it’s] a beautiful pub where we shared some wonderful memories in years gone by. Hoping everyone is safe.”

Lisa Lelliott said: “Such a lovely pub. Had some lovely meals in the garden in the summer months and played skittles there as well.”

Yvonne Davey commented: “What a shock! Second bad fire. Last one was in 2014.”