The Tollington Arms, a beloved Arsenal pub on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, will remain closed for the rest of the year after a fire broke out in its basement during a Friday opening shift. Publican Martin Whelan confirmed that iconic Arsenal memorabilia, all beer lines, and part of the flooring were damaged, though no staff were seriously injured.
Whelan described the incident as "absolutely devastating," telling the Tribune: "You couldn’t write the script, we are absolutely devastated. It’s heartbreaking of course, but it could’ve been a lot worse if it had happened at night. We managed to contain it fairly quickly. Luckily the staff that were there managed to contain it and we are all unhurt except for some smoke inhalation."
Investigation and Damage Assessment
The fire was first detected when a loud alarm interrupted the usual Friday opening routine. Staff found flames spreading across the basement floor. The London Fire Brigade sent four fire engines and around 25 firefighters to the scene. A statement from the brigade said: "A small part of the flooring between the ground floor and the basement was damaged by the fire. Four people left the building before the brigade arrived."
Whelan has spent every waking hour since the incident organizing insurance assessments and assisting the Fire Brigade with their investigation. Initial findings suggest a socket box buried beneath the basement ceilings, attached to old pyro cables dating back 150 years, may have sparked the blaze. The socket box has been sent to forensics for further analysis.
Community Support and Arsenal Fan Reaction
The pub has long been a ritual stop for Arsenal fans heading to the Emirates Stadium. Its closure has sparked an outpouring of support from the Arsenal community. Joe Meekel, an Arsenal fan who runs the Finsbury Park Focus Instagram platform, noted: "It’s sad to see what has happened, these things are never easy to deal with. The match-days are a huge source of revenue for them, but it is also just an important community asset, for fans from outside of London and even part of the world – it’s become a ritual for many people."
Meekel described the atmosphere on the following Saturday as "strange and eerie," with the area usually filled with fans singing and chanting. He added: "But the community has really come together to show support to them, and we know they’ll come back stronger."
Future Plans and Temporary Alternatives
Whelan remains hopeful about reopening, stating: "I would take your arm off to be back on January 1, and it would be a miracle to be open before then." He also reflected on the timing, noting: "It was the worst possible timing, with Arsenal as the reigning champions, City may be getting relegated and we’d only had two home matches to enjoy."
In the meantime, fans can continue to support the establishment at its sister pub in Holloway, The Big Red, which will continue to show Arsenal matches. The Tollington Arms' closure marks a significant loss for the local community, but Whelan and his staff are determined to rebuild and return stronger.
