AN ANDOVER pub which was evacuated on Sunday following a kitchen blaze has re-opened.

However The John Russell Fox will not be serving food until at least tomorrow due to the damage - according to the pub's manager.

Fire crews from Andover, Whitchurch and Winchester were called to the High Street boozer shortly before 3pm on Sunday after a blaze erupted from a freezer unit in the kitchen.

Pub staff evacuated dozens of customer from the premises, while firefighters went in to tackle the ceiling high flames.

Using three jets, crews managed to extinguish the fire within 30 minutes.

Pub manager, Charlee Blanchard, confirmed to the Advertiser that the freezer unit was destroyed by the fire, while several ceiling tiles were left blackened by smoke.

The pub boss also praised her staff and the fire service for their quick reaction to the blaze.

She said: "I was very impressed by all of my staff and how they responded to the emergency.

"My two duty managers, Shannon Johnson and Kelly Fiddes, did really well in handling the situation.

"I'm also hugely thankful to the fire brigade who attended very quickly and made sure the fire didn't spread any further."

She added that the pub hoped to be serving food again by tomorrow or Wednesday.