Hannah Doody, Chief Executive of Merton Council, said: “Merton Council recognises the huge community impact caused by the devastating fire at the historic and much-loved, Grade II listed Burn Bullock pub in London Road, Mitcham.  

“The council wants to thank the 80 firefighters who fought for three hours to bring the fire under control.  

“We are relieved that nobody was injured. 

“The cause of the fire is being investigated by the fire brigade, and we are all anxious to find out what happened. 

“Council officers worked with the emergency services throughout the evening to help make the area safe. Our immediate priority was supporting the occupants of the building with emergency accommodation, food and clothing. The Council is now helping these residents to access longer-term support.  

“Our other priority is site safety. This is the responsibility of the landowners, and we have issued a notice requiring them to make the building and site permanently safe. However, we have undertaken urgent initial safety work in the meantime.   

“We will be meeting Historic England this week to begin assessing the extent of the damage and seeking their advice on how to prevent the building from deteriorating further.  

“We recognise how much this building means to the borough and the community. The Council has acted many times with partner agencies to try to ensure the safety of the building and those living in it, including as recently as last year. But the council has very limited powers to further intervene because the building and land is privately owned. 

“However, we are determined to explore all options available to us to help preserve the building once the investigation by the emergency services has been concluded.”