A fish and chip shop served its first meals this week more than five months after it was ravaged by fire.

The Major Plaice reopened on Monday, February 20 after a fire rendered the shop, in the Market Parade in Ewell, uninhabitable with charred, stinking, burnt seats.

From October: Shop owners rush to tackle fire at The Major Plaice fish and chip shop in Ewell High Street

Neighbours of the Major Plaice in the Market Parade in Ewell rushed out into the street clutching fire extinguishers after a fire broke out on October 4, and crews from four fire stations spent nearly three hours fighting the fire and limiting its damage.

Surrey Comet:
Pic credit: David Brooks, Bourne Hall museum

But the Market Plaice was unable to do business for five and a half months.

This week it reopened after extensive cleaning and renovation.

Surrey Comet:

Ifet Butt (pictured above with wife Fawzia), the owner of the Major Plaice, was “devastated” when he arrived in Ewell High Street that October morning to find his business going up in flames, but is happy to be re-opening.

“We are very grateful to the fire brigade who acted very professionally and to the insurers who have been very helpful all along,” he said.

Since the fire, the shop has been extensively cleaned, and renovated with a new blue colour-scheme, insurance claims have been filed, and about 30 fish from tanks were temporarily rehomed.

Got a story? Get in touch at craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk