Legendary band revisits fire site

A legendary Scottish rock band have vowed to keep going despite having most of their equipment ruined in an Edinburgh club fire.

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band have been allowed back into the Liquid Rooms for the first time, three weeks after fire spread from Khushi's restaurant.

Work has begun on the clear-up of the Victoria Street basement venue as the building has only just been made safe.

Organisers estimate a year before it is back to its former glory.

It is estimated that replacing the Khushi's restaurant roof, which collapsed during the fire, will take three months.

"It doesn't look like any of our equipment is salvageable as it's smoke and water damaged and it has been sitting here for weeks"
John Morrison
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Chris Glen, the band's bass guitarist, said he was about to go on stage when the "terrifying experience" happened.

He said: "It brings a lot of sad and bad memories coming back here. The smoke was so acrid I can still taste it now.

"I didn't want to come down here at all today because at the time I thought I was a goner.

"There was a woman who fell over and I fell on top of her trying to get out and people started climbing over the top of us and the people in front were rubber necking back at the fire so no-one else could get out, so it was bad from that point of view but no-one died fortunately and that is all that matters."

John Morrison, the band's manager, told BBC Scotland they had since had to cancel some gigs because of the loss of their equipment.

He said: "It doesn't look like any of our equipment is salvageable as it's smoke and water damaged and it has been sitting here for weeks.

"I managed to get three guitars off the stage at the time but that was it. It was quite frightening at the time.

"We have had to cancel some gigs but we will hopefully be compensated and we will carry on."

Kath Mackenzie, The Liquid Rooms manager, said: "I think we are talking about the best part of 12 months as we want to give people the worst case scenario so that people will be pleased if we open earlier.

"We want to get it up and running again so that the street can get back to its former glory."

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Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service
Sensational Alex Harvey Band
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