Aylsham Garden Centre Remains Closed After Monday Fire

Aylsham Garden Centre was left without electricity and suffered "significant smoke damage" after a blaze at 6: 53 a. m. ET on Monday (February 16). The garden centre will remain closed while professional teams work to restore the building and make areas safe for staff and customers. The site has confirmed no injuries.

Aylsham Garden Centre Closure

The fire crews from Aylsham and Sprowston were called to the scene at 6: 53 a. m. ET and firefighters spent nearly an hour working at the garden centre. Staff have confirmed that no one was hurt in the incident, but that smoke damage was concentrated around staff and till areas inside the building.

Fire response and timeline

Crews attended the blaze early on Monday morning and remained on site for close to an hour. The building has been confirmed as structurally safe, and recovery work has moved to cleanup and restoration rather than emergency stabilisation.

Damage and structural safety

Managers described the interior as having "significant smoke damage, " particularly near staff and checkout areas, and said the property was left without electricity following the incident. Professional cleaning teams have been engaged to remove smoke contamination and prepare spaces for inspection and sign-off.

Reopening plan and stages

A spokesman for the garden centre said the venue will remain closed until at least the end of next week while restoration takes place. The current plan is to reopen in stages, with the restaurant likely to open first and the garden centre to follow once further areas have been cleaned and signed off. Staff also said the site would be closed to customers today and tomorrow while immediate recovery work continues.

Community reaction and next steps

Staff said they had been overwhelmed by kind messages and support from the local community, and that those messages have meant a lot to the family and team. Professional cleaners are continuing work and management will reopen areas only after necessary inspections and sign-offs are complete.

Key takeaways

• Blaze occurred at 6: 53 a. m. ET on Monday (February 16); firefighters spent nearly an hour at the scene.
• The building is structurally safe but suffered significant smoke damage and remains without electricity while restoration proceeds.
• Reopening will be staged: restaurant likely first, then the garden centre once cleaned and signed off.