A POPULAR restaurant in Southampton remains closed after it was struck by a fire last week.

Kuti's Brasserie, on Oxford Street, confirmed that the restaurant was closed but customers could continue to use The Royal Thai Pier premises at Red Funnel Terminal Dock Gate 7.

More than a dozen firefighters from Redbridge and St Mary's fire stations were called to the blaze at the restaurant on Saturday, April 14.

The fire began at the well-known venue at around 12.30pm, but was extinguished under two hours later.

Staff had to flood onto the street just before Saturday lunchtime after smoke escaped via the extraction system.

Onlookers captured footage of billowing smoke coming from the building.

When contacted by the Daily Echo, a spokesperson for the business said: "There are quite a lot of refurbishments at the premises still to be completed, but we are still closed due to the fire.

"We can't say when we will reopen but hopefully it will not be for too long."

At the time of the blaze, crew manager Stephen Hunns said: "About 15 firefighters attended the restaurant and there was a large amount of smoke.

"Crews used breathing apparatus and are now ventilating the property. There was an evacuation, but I believe it was empty at the time apart from staff."

The Kuti’s fire comes less than a year after its neighbouring restaurant, Scoozi, was also discovered ablaze.

The two share part of the same building.