The bistro will be closed until further notice
15:27, 01 Jan 2026Updated 15:27, 01 Jan 2026
Damage at Jay’s Bistro in Merseyside, following a blaze caused by a “rogue firework”
A fire has broke out at a Merseyside bistro in the early hours of New Year’s Day due to a “rogue firework” blowing into the back of the restaurant. The blaze was accidentally started when the firework blew into the back of Jay’s Bistro, after landing on the roof of a nearby shed.
Following the fire breaking out at the venue, the owner of the business, Victoria Dodd, rushed to the restaurant in Bebington this morning. In a statement issued to the ECHO following the fire, she said: “Initial assessments by the fire investigation team suggest the fire may have started when a rogue firework landed on the roof of a storage shed at the rear of the property.
“Strong winds then appear to have blown the fire into the back of the main building, where it spread rapidly through the rear of Jay’s Bistro. A full investigation is ongoing.”
Thankfully, nobody was hurt in the fire, however Victoria said the restaurant will be unable to open for “some time” due to damages caused by the blaze. She added that while the business is insured, not all costs will be covered with the closure.
Victoria said: “This has been a huge shock for everyone involved. While we’re incredibly grateful that nobody was hurt, the damage means we won’t be able to open for some time. Our focus right now is supporting our small team and doing everything we can to get Jay’s Bistro back open as soon as possible.”
Jay’s Bistro in Merseyside has been left damaged and unable reopen, following a blaze caused by a “rogue firework”
To help support staff during the refurbishment process and raise funds for costs not covered by the restaurant’s insurance, Victoria has also set up a Crowdfunder. Any updates will be posed on Jay’s Bistro’s social media channels.
Posting on Facebook about the closure, the restaurant said: “Due to a fire at Jays, we will unfortunately be closed until further notice. We are all heartbroken. Not a great start to 2026.”
The restaurant has been open for the last seven years and was recently taken over by Victoria. Serving a range of food, the bistro also described itself as a “small independent coffee shop alive with the vibrancy of plants and rustic charm”.
Following the news the restaurant has received a selection of comments of support. Gayle Threadgill commented: “God I’m heartbroken for you all. You’ll get through this. Sending love xxx.”
The restaurant also received words of encouragement from Clare Maddocks, who said: “You’ll get through this. Hope everyone is okay. Not the best way to start a New Year.” Babs Prior also wrote: “What!!! Omg I hope no-one has been hurt. I’m sure you can come through all this even better than before.”