Firefighters on scene at The Royal on Sept. 16, 2022. (Photo Courtesy Gates Guarin)

By Chris Brown

Crews fighting fire at downtown landmark The Royal

Sep 16, 2022 | 9:14 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Firefighters are at the scene of a blaze at a historic Medicine Hat establishment on Friday morning.

Police are asking people to avoid the 100 block of South Railway Street, the site of The Royal.

Heavy smoke is billowing out of the building and streets are closed around the building.

The Royal’s history in Medicine Hat stretches back almost 120 years. It began life as The Royal Hotel in 1904, temporarily closing in 2019. At the time it was serving as a live music venue and a bar. The hotel upstairs had 18 rooms but was not in use.

Later that year, Lynne Palmer leased the space and in September reopened the bar as The Royal.

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