A Spectacular Blaze at Bells Brae, Edinburgh

A spectacular blaze at Bells Brae, Edinburgh, destroyed the premises of one of Britain’s largest theatrical costumiers. The fire broke out suddenly and spread rapidly through the historic stone building, which housed an extensive collection of costumes, props, and stage accessories used by theatre companies across the UK. The costumiers had served generations of performers, supplying wardrobes for everything from Shakespearean productions to modern musicals. Firefighters battled the intense blaze for hours, but much of the unique inventory—some of it irreplaceable and dating back decades—was lost. The incident sent shockwaves through the UK theatre community, with numerous companies expressing concern over future productions. Investigations later focused on possible electrical faults, though the exact cause of the fire remained uncertain.