Harry Potter cafe damaged in Edinburgh fire

Fire crews have been tackling a large blaze which broke out at Edinburgh's George IV Bridge.

Police Scotland closed several roads in the city's old town on Tuesday morning and said officers were assisting the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service .

The alarm was raised shortly after 6am by a cleaner at Edinburgh's Elephant House cafe - where JK Rowling penned her first Harry Potter book.

It is believed the fire started in the Patisserie Valerie cafe next door.

Elephant House owner David Taylor, said the fire had not spread to the building, but it had suffered smoke and water damage.

He told BBC Scotland: "I feel absolutely gutted about this.

"At best, we can hope for opening in a few weeks time, but if there is structural damage too then it isn't bearable to think about."

The cafe, which is popular with tourists and Harry Potter fans, had been returning to normal trading after Scotland recently lifted Covid restrictions.

Mr Taylor added, "It's really quite disturbing because we had just got back to some semblance of normality after two years, although we were only running at about 50% of our festival trade."

Nine fire engines and two specialist ladder vehicles were dispatched to the scene on Tuesday morning. The Scottish Ambulance Service was also in attendance.

Rented flats above Patisserie Valerie were evacuated and Candlemaker Row and Chambers Street were closed.

The Oz Bar on Candlemaker Row, below Patisserie Valerie, also suffered water damage.

Owner Tom Ponton said: "We have just refurbished the whole pub and we were back to doing very well again after two years, it's devastating.

"We have been told we have water damage in the bar but we don't know to what extent."

The cordon around the George IV Bridge site meant prisoners taken to nearby Edinburgh Sheriff Court were required to use the front entrance on Tuesday morning.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said the blaze had affected "a number of properties".

A spokesman said: "Operations control mobilised nine appliances and two height vehicles. Crews are still in attendance."