A dramatic video has emerged capturing the moment the roof of the Churchdown Club in Gloucester collapsed during a major fire that devastated much of the building.
The CCTV footage taken inside the club shows the roof falling in as flames tore through the premises on the morning of June 22. Established in 1921 by servicemen following the First World War, the community club lost approximately half of its building on Church Road to the blaze, which began around 11am.
The fire destroyed a section housing the kitchen, skittle alley, function room, and office. However, fire doors between this area and the rest of the club helped to contain the flames and stop the fire from spreading further.
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A public appeal for donations has so far raised over £12,000, yet the club faces a significant challenge in recovering from the disaster. Committee members are concerned there could be a substantial financial shortfall once the insurer finalises the rebuild compensation. They fear they may need to raise several hundreds of thousands of pounds independently.
Meanwhile, the not-for-profit organisation is grappling with a substantial loss of income while awaiting the insurance payout. For instance, the skittle alley previously generated around £300 on each of five weeknights.
Patrick McCaffrey, deputy chairman of the club, who has shared video footage and images of the charred building, said many people have donated generously but might not fully grasp the extent of the damage.
“It was a scene of devastation,” he said. “I genuinely don’t believe it’s been made quite apparent. We will 100 per cent continue, but whether we have to diversify, we don’t know. Whether we can offer as much as before, we don’t know.”
He added that staff hours have been reduced as the club adjusts its operations while awaiting the insurance settlement. The club currently has no heating as the boiler was located in the destroyed area. Additionally, bowls and tennis players now use the grounds without access to outside toilets, which were also lost to the fire.
Groups such as the Brownies and a U3A group have had to find alternative meeting locations.
Mr McCaffrey, who owns a fire prevention company, had inspected the club’s fire doors shortly before the fire and replaced seals, a measure he believes helped prevent the fire from spreading further.
“The fire started in the roof. It was horrendous. We had staff and committee members in tears, literally watching it burn,” he said. “We wondered if we were going to lose everything.”
There has been speculation regarding whether recently installed solar panels on the roof caused the fire, but the exact cause remains unknown.
“The insurance company has instructed a forensic fire investigator to determine the specific cause,” Mr McCaffrey explained. “Asbestos needs to be removed in areas where they need to look. They’re not planning to access the site until October and expect the investigation to last at least four days.”