Fire forces Bilash restaurant to cancel bookings for two weeks
A popular Wolverhampton city centre restaurant has been forced to close temporarily after being been damaged by a fire.
Firefighters were called to Bilash on Cheapside after a 999 call around 5.10pm yesterday.
The fire was caused by an extraction fan in the kitchen and was eventually put out by around 7pm.
Damage from the fire was contained within the kitchen, and crews left the scene around 9pm after a final check.
The family-run restaurant, which has featured in the Michelin guide, is rated as among the best in Wolverhampton and has been in the city for over 35 years.
The fire is a major setback for the restaurant, and bosses have estimated that it will lose at least two weeks of bookings as a result of the damage.
Staff member, Mohammed Khan, said: "There was a lot of smoke damage and debris in the kitchen and we could see that the fire caused some severe damage.
"We've been ringing around the bookings we have had to inform them of the closure, but we've no idea of the cost to get this fixed yet.
"We'll know more when we can uncover the kitchen, but we're devastated about the fire."
The restaurant has announced it will be closed for the foreseeable future on its website and will announce more news on the site and social media as and when possible.
