Family run business in Tiddington is welcoming back customers once again
IT feels like a true Christmas miracle but it could have been all so very different for the Connolly family of Tiddington who re-opened their tapas bar to customers last Thursday after a fire forced the closure of the popular dining venue for several weeks.
The lives of Hannah Connolly and her parents, Jo and Tony have changed forever because of the sheer shock of the fire’s impact and because of the acts of human kindness given freely by the community to support them in their time of most need.
It was Saturday afternoon on 4th November and the routine of getting things ready for the evening opening of Connolly’s Tapas Bar in Main Street, Tiddington, is on schedule.
Hannah is in the restaurant laying tables with music playing in the background, Jo is in the kitchen preparing food and Tony is in the flat.
Quite suddenly the lights go out and the music stops. Hannah thinks it’s a power cut and calls to her dad but there’s also a strange smell in the place.
“I thought what’s that smell?” Hannah told the Herald. “It was like a burnt electrical smell and it was putrid. Dad went down into the cellar to check the fuse box and it burst into flames in front of him and there were flashovers. We just stopped everything we were doing and got outside quickly where I called 999.”
The fire was confined to the cellar but the smoke damage was everywhere. Five trucks and 35 fire fighters tackled the blaze which reached temperatures of 110 degrees. They told the family the smoke was so thick in places they couldn’t see clearly in front of them.
“I’ll never forget the pops and crackles of the fire when it started. Even now I can still recall the electrical burning smell. The fire fighters were amazing and said they wished they could have done more to help us but they were fantastic and did everything they could. The fire was a horrible fluke. As a family we were in shock, very much in shock but we did go and watch the bonfire night display in Stratford the next evening which was amazing,” Hannah said.
There then followed an overwhelming series of acts of community support which started immediately.
“On the Monday after the fire we were struggling to get things to a skip so Tiddington resident, Alex Quinn, who is like a brother to us, put the word out on a group chat page for people to come and help us if they were free – they turned up in their droves,” Hannah said. “Most of our friends were there and others were friends of friends and they made up silly names for themselves like site manager and schedule manager just for a bit of fun but it did help us to put things back together.”
A fantastic team effort followed while the tapas bar remained closed for major refurbishment and repair.
“We used to call ourselves the Connolly’s Christmas Crew but it’s now called the Phoenix Group and we have a phoenix theme in the restaurant in the cushions – it’s a literal thing, rising from the ashes. People brought tools and equipment and all their different skills like making a table and repairing floors and I thought I never knew they could do that? These people put everything on hold for us. They gave us both physical and emotional support,” said Hannah.
Her mum – Jo - continues to make good progress and is having cardio rehabilitation after she suffered a heart attack on Thursday 9th November known as a MINOCA heart attack (myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries) and Hannah believes this was caused by the stress of everything that happened.
And so the big day arrived and the family welcomed friends and customers back to
Connolly’s Tapas Bar on Thursday 14th December.
Hannah said: “We were all extremely anxious and a bit on edge but it was amazing to have our favourite regulars and locals back. Customers said how homely and welcoming the place was which was great to hear because it had looked like a warehouse. It feels like a Christmas miracle has happened and we will be open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and will be open for dinks on Christmas Eve.”
Hannah admits she still gets flashbacks of the fire.
“I get them quite a lot. I’m still working on it,” she said quietly.
Life has changed for the family but it was - after all - a life changing incident and they remain incredibly thankful to everyone who has helped them put their lives back together again.
“We are just so grateful, humbled and inspired and in awe of these people who rallied together for us. It’s changed the way we do things – it’s kick started us. If you don’t want that item anymore - throw it out. If you want to paint that wall – paint it. Their kindness has given me so much and I want to be the person who helps someone now,” Hannah said.
