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A Waterstones branch in Exeter has been forced to close after a blaze that erupted in the area early this morning.
The fire appears to have started at the nearby Castle Art Gallery, although this has yet to be confirmed by firefighters. The blaze has spread to the roof of the Royal Clarence Hotel, the oldest in England.
The fire crew was called out at 5.30am this morning, since which time the fire has "taken hold in the roofs", according to a Waterstones spokesperson, spreading along a row of shops.
Road closures in place at the junctions of High Street and South Street have led to Waterstones' decision to close its store at 48-49 High St.
A spokesperson for the branch told The Bookseller no one had been hurt and that there is no damage to the shop "as far as we know".
The art gallery however, where the fire is rumoured to have begun, has been "gutted".
Waterstones' other Exeter branch, at 252 High St, is open and trading as usual. Staff from the affected branch have been transfered to the shop floor there.