The Fireman’s Arms, has burnt down in Cape Town

[CT_Biker]

Did someone pick up that Luno staff frequent that fine establishment?

 

[Moi]

Frequented it a lot '89-'91 when I was a techie at a firm just up the road. Watched '91 soccer world cup final there.

Owner's name was Jack. Their steak egg and chips was the best.

 

[buka001]

Spent many a Friday afternoon there. Good memories.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

Frequented it a lot '89-'91 when I was a techie at a firm just up the road. Watched '91 soccer world cup final there

was basically there every single work day when I worked at my first ever job, it was in a building literally adjacent to Fireman's

that building got levelled and replaced by the parkade that is there now, watched the '03 rugby world cup there and many super rugby tournaments around the same time ... basically our dev team were all borderline alcoholics ... the job really wasn't that great, had to numb the pain on a daily basis

 

[Mortymoose]

bit of a technicality if memory serves: Fireman's is in one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town, the building itself predates Percy's, but it was a fire station at some point and wasn't a pub for as long as the building has been standing

so oldest pub in terms of who's building is the oldest vs who's pub has been a pub for the longest time

or I was just drunk at the time when I gathered this bit of info

I was also drunk when frequenting theses fine establishments, but always wondered about the validity of Perseverance Tavern's claim.....
Over my life I have frequented a vast number of bars, mainly due to their historical importance to binge drinkers like me, a few of my fav, Matjiesfontein, Star of the West and the Roadhouse......

 

[Death_By_Ebola]

Maybe they needed a firemans hose more than his arms

 

[OCP]

WATCH | Well-known pub Fireman's Arms - a Cape Town institution - damaged in fire

The iconic Fireman's Arms pub in Buitengracht Street in central Cape Town has been damaged in a fire.

www.news24.com

The iconic Fireman's Arms pub in Buitengracht Street in central Cape Town was damaged in a fire in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Owner Kevin Phelan told News24 that the damage was limited to the beer garden and the pub's structures escaped harm.
"There was an electrical fire in the bar outside," he said.
"We are closed for today but we will let people know when we are open again."

The City's Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said they responded to an emergency call of the building alight at 02:51.
"Two fire engines, a rescue vehicle and 12 staff were on scene. The fire was extinguished at 04:24," he said.

"The entire outside serving area, consisting of tables and chairs was destroyed. The exterior of the building was only slightly damaged by the fire."
No injuries were reported and the fire service was investigating the cause of the fire.

Dean Ryan took a video of the fire while on his way to work. The video, which is trending on social media, shows the outside seating area in flames.
The pub is one of the oldest in Cape Town, established in 1864 as a local drinking spot for sailors and locals.
According to the website, it changed its name to the Fireman's Arms in honor of steamship coal stokers who frequented the joint.

 

[EADC]

What a shame had a great time there after the springbok vs all Blacks game couple years ago.

 

[Rouxenator]

or I was just drunk at the time when I gathered this bit of info

Sad. Just like when CPUT bought Flags and turned it lecture rooms.

 

[MEIOT]

So anti-climatic - went from burned down to just a small area being burnt.
Some terrible reporting.

 

[ponder]

Sad. Just like when CPUT bought Flags and turned it lecture rooms.

I frequented that place, when did they buy it?

 

[Rouxenator]

@NarrowBandFtw can correct me if I'm wrong but I think it was 2002 when we we're 3rd year? I don't recall it being there when we did b.tech

 

[MrGray]

bit of a technicality if memory serves: Fireman's is in one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town, the building itself predates Percy's, but it was a fire station at some point and wasn't a pub for as long as the building has been standing

so oldest pub in terms of who's building is the oldest vs who's pub has been a pub for the longest time

or I was just drunk at the time when I gathered this bit of info

It's all technicalities when it comes to these claims. There's another one somewhere (I forget where) that claims to be the oldest continuously licensed pub. So do you take the oldest building even if it wasn't originally a pub, or the oldest continuously licensed pub, or a newer building but built on the oldest spot known to be a pub in the past?? I have sleepless nights over this.

Anyhoo - thankfully, seems to be another media clickbait exaggeration.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

@NarrowBandFtw can correct me if I'm wrong but I think it was 2002 when we we're 3rd year? I don't recall it being there when we did b.tech

yah Flags, which was already rebranded and under different ownership as 'Barrels and Flags' those days, closed down in our 3rd year

although apparently the property always belonged to CPUT, they just got to a point of wanting to use it and decided not to renew the pub's lease and viola: e-Ikamva was born

to be fair it was already being used for education while still a pub ... I distinctly recall spending the vast majority of my Quantitative Techniques classes there

 

[Rouxenator]

Another motivation I heard from a CPUT staff member was that some of their fellow lecturers frequented Flags too often over lunch making for some interesting afternoon classes.

Dammit, hard to believe that was 17 years ago.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

Another motivation I heard from a CPUT staff member was that some of their fellow lecturers frequented Flags too often over lunch making for some interesting afternoon classes

ah yes, when you skip your Quantitative Techniques class to catch a super rugby match at the pub and run into your Cost and Management Accounting lecturer good times

 

[Mortymoose]

Sad. Just like when CPUT bought Flags and turned it lecture rooms.

Aha! Flags.....the place where myself and two of my Chinese mates met up with a fellow Namibian who cost me my job.... did that lad backpeddle to appease me that evening...the memories..my past..

 

[Pox]

Just heard on Cape Talk. Owner said that the beer garden was damaged. Actual pub, and Babbelas the cat are fine.
They will be open for business tomorrow.

 

[Thor]

Wow this sucks

 

[Emjay]

I heard about this from some colleagues early this morning. It's quite sad.