Ascot Food + Wine has closed indefinitely since a fire ripped through the venue on Tuesday afternoon. The restaurant is owned by celebrity couple, supermodel Megan Gale and former AFL player Shaun Hampson. 

In a story on Hampson’s Instagram, the co-owner announced “It is with heavy hearts that we wish to inform everyone that we will be closed until further notice!” with a picture of emergency services and firefighters outside the north Melbourne restaurant.

The post continued, “Everyone is safe and a big shoutout to the people that came to our aid x.”

Related story: These are the winter-ready Melbourne bars to cosy up in mid-year

It is believed that a fire in the building’s roof spread throughout the venue, causing a massive amount of smoke. Firefighters extinguished the blaze after being called to the venue around 5pm on July 4 before ventilating the restaurant.

This is the latest in a string of bad luck for Gale and Hampson, after Ascot Food + Wine was targeted in a robbery in February, with thieves making off with around $15,000 worth of liquor, $4000 in cash, and in a seriously low act, stole the tip jar.

Related story: Ascot Food + Wine is the evolution of a local favourite