Albeit the epicentre of my social circle as a teenager, the small town of Kenilworth in Warwickshire is usually a quiet place on the news front. Imagine my horror then, when during a day’s peaceful volunteering at KWN (that’s The Kenilworth Weekly News for the uninitiated) editor Lucia gets a call to say a local pub is burning down.
But not just any local pub. My favourite pub. The Clarendon Arms.
The beautiful Clarendon Arms which is overlooked by the stunning ruins of Kenilworth Castle.
The Clarendon Arms where 11E went for our final class meal to wave farewell to four amazing years as the best tutor group at Kenilworth School.
The Clarendon Arms where we had the leaving do for German Mirjam, the exchange student we missed so much after she left.
The Clarendon Arms where I had my eighteenth birthday party, sob.
The fire brigade said that the blaze was probably caused by a washing machine or tumble drier…
RIP Clarendon Arms. You will be sorely missed.
NB: Apparently, the fire was confined to the first floor which was “substantially damaged” according to the emergency services, but despite that and some water damage on the ground floor, the pub was open for business as usual that very same night. Long live the Clarendon Arms!
Kyriaki Karadelis 