Families looking forward to a festive dinner at the Cardross Inn have had their plans ruined after part of the pub was badly damaged by fire.

The diners were left having to make alternative arrangements after a blaze at the inn in the early hours of Wednesday morning when the premises were empty.

The fire occurred just over a week before the hostelry was due to reopen under new management after being closed for several weeks.

This week, Dumbarton publican Tommy Murray who was making final plans to take over the inn, with doors due on Thursday, said the damage caused by the fire had been a "big disappointment".

Tommy, who runs the Clencairn Lounge and Lennox pubs in Dumbarton told the Reporter: "I am actually more disappointed for the people who made bookings as they now have to make alternative arrangements.

"I also feel sorry for the staff who were looking forward to wee jobs coming up for Christmas and New Year."

Tommy announced his plans for the Cardross Inn in a Facebook post on December 1 and then last week he placed a half page advertisement in the Reporter stating that he and wife Carolyn were delighted to announce they had taken on the new venture.

He said: "It caused a huge interest and although we intended to close on Christmas Day, we took 100 bookings for the period from December 15 to Christmas Eve. The Glencairn has great Trip Advisor reviews for its food and this prompted a lot of people to make a booking at the Cardross Inn."

Tommy, 53, said he had not suffered any financial loss as a result of the fire, which caused extensive smoke damage.

At the time of the blaze he had not signed the lease or taken occupancy, but was still intending to make the move as an extension of his business interests.

He intends to create 10 or 12 full time and part-time jobs at the premises which is owned by the Glasgow-based Iona Pub Partnership.

The current leaseholders are believed to be a business couple in Helensburgh.

A joint investigation has been launched by Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to establish the cause of the fire.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the fire to come forward.

Detective Constable Darren Lyon from Helensburgh CID said: “The inn had been closed for three weeks and was due to be opened next week under new management, however, because of the fire and the damage caused, which the management estimate will cost tens of thousands of pounds to repair, this will now not happen for some time, which is a shame for the local community.

“Although Cardross is a small town and at this time of the morning there may not have been too many people about, I would still appeal to anyone who was maybe passing in the car – as this is a main route between Dumbarton and Helensburgh – or who has any information that may assist our enquiries, to contact the CID at Helensburgh via 101. Please quote incident number 0231 of 6 December 2017 when calling.”

A spokesman for The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: " We were alerted at 2am on Wednesday, December 6, to reports of a fire within a public house on Main Road, Cardross.

“Operations Control immediately mobilised three appliances and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used high powered hoses to extinguish the flames.

“A joint investigation will be carried out between SFRS and Police Scotland to establish the cause of the fire.”

A statement on the Glencairn Lounge's Facebook page said: “Unfortunately due to the fire in the The Cardross Inn premises, we regrettably have to cancel all reservations made for The Cardross Inn at the moment.

“We will announce updates as much as we can."

Information can also be passed in confidence to CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111.