A £2,000 reward has been offered to catch the arsonists responsible for fire at the Aneurin Sports Bar in Heol Aneurin, Penyrheol.
The former Labour Club had to be evacuated yesterday after arsonists set fire to a bus in its car park.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called at around 6pm on Sunday April 26.
It was the second time that buses parked outside the premises have been targeted. A similar incident happened in March last year.
The bar was closed for the rest of the evening.
Clayton Jones, the bar’s owner, said the fire had caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to stock and the building.
He said: “We had everything you can there. Anti-vandal paint, fencing. Breaking into there would’ve been like breaking into the Hatton Garden vault.
“It’s just wanton vandalism. I just don’t know what the arsonists were up to, it was nothing in it for them.”
He added: “It is the only facility in the area where you can have a drink and for them to go there and burn the place down, there is something wrong.
“We are offering a £2,000 reward to anyone with information that results in a conviction.”
A Gwent Police spokesperson said: “While people were inside the building at the time, they were evacuated and no one was injured.”
Police are treating the fire as deliberately set and are appealing for anyone with information to call them on 101 quoting log number 411 26/4/15.
Those buses have been sat there for ages with their windows and doors broken. Vandalism is inexcusable and a hateful blight that drives me to distraction but those buses were always going to be a magnet to the encouragable.
Those buses have been sat there for ages with their windows and doors broken. Vandalism is inexcusable and a hateful blight that drives me to distraction but those buses were always going to be a magnet to the encouragable.