A BAR owner is determined to reopen his business for the bank holiday weekend, after escaping a blaze yesterday.

Andrew Livesey, 27, lives in a flat above Blackburn's Baroque bar, Northgate, where a fridge set alight around 3.45am, damaging the bar's interior, electrics and hi-fi system. No major damage was caused to the bar or the 140-year-old building, which Andrew said was listed Grade B. He added that if the bar remained closed over weekend, he would lose £5,000 in takings.

He said: "I live upstairs, heard the alarm going off and came down to find the bar filled with smoke. Luckily, the smoke didn't go further because of fire doors. But I called the fire brigade, who were here within minutes.

"There's quite bad smoke damage to the walls, ceilings, dumb waiter and sound-system. And the tables and chairs will need a good clean. I couldn't estimate the repair cost.

"But I hope to have it reopened for the weekend, for the football play-offs on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. I'll then close for a couple of days, to get things fully back into shape for the following weekend."

Andrew, who previously worked at Blackburn's Malt and Hops, in Barton Street, and The Dog Inn, in Revidge Road, bought the bar nine months ago.