An entertainment centre has been forced to close after damage from a fire in a neighbouring restaurant.

Windmill Entertainment Centre announced it would be closed for the “foreseeable future” due to the blaze at the Harvester in Coastguard Road, Littlehampton.

The centre, which houses a cinema and theatre, suffered water damage during the emergency service response and say they have been forbidden from having customers on site.

A spokesman for Windmill Cinema, based in the building, said: “Thanks to the efforts of firefighters, the Windmill Cinema & Theatre was saved. However, there has been water damage to the foyer and kiosk and we are waiting for an assessment on the building's condition.

“There is some damage to the flat roof where it joins onto the Harvester. This means at present we are unable to access the toilets and so cannot open for now.

“By the end of Monday we hope to have more info on when screenings will resume. We will try and keep you all updated as the situation changes.”

Sections of the Windmill Centre were affected when the Harvester went up in flames and destroyed large parts of the building.

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A plume of smoke filled the air as firefighters battled to control the blaze and stop it spreading to neighbouring buildings.

At its height, 12 fire engines battled the fire alongside two aerial platforms and two water carriers.

A Harvester spokesman said: “We are grateful and wish to thank the emergency services who responded to the incident at the Windmill.

“Once we have a clear understanding of the extent of the damage we will provide updates to guests who planned to visit us, but at the moment our priority is to ensure the safety and security of the building.”

The fire, which began in the kitchen of the restaurant, quickly spread to the roof and gutted the interior of the building.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise funds for members of staff who lived in a flat above the Harvester which has also been destroyed.