Traders at Kingston's Ancient Market, which has stood for over 800 years, have vowed to rebuild after a fire tore through their stalls in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The blaze, which swept through the market in southwest London, has been described as 'ripping the heart out of the town'. The market, granted its Royal charter in 1208, is home to a range of predominantly food stalls selling fresh produce.
Traders lose everything but pledge to recover
Fishmonger Tim Meads, known as 'Tim the Fish', has run his stall at the site for 42 years. He lost thousands of pounds worth of stock and feared his livelihood had been destroyed. Tim, also one of the biggest local supporters of the Kingston Food Bank, has pledged to rebuild the business from its literal ashes. He told BBC London: 'It's taken everything away from me. Devastating, at the moment I have lost everything. Hopefully we can rebuild again, the town needs us.'
Another trader, who did not want to be named, said: 'We are heartbroken, just gutted. But we will fight back. We have lost everything, but we are determined to reopen. We are the soul of Kingston. We will rebuild and get back, but at the moment, we cannot even get on the site because it's not safe.'
Community rallies around the market
When Metro visited, the marketplace was still cordoned off as investigators examined the charred remains of the stalls and structural experts worked to make the area safe again. The smell of smoke still permeated the air, and locals gathered to offer support to the market traders whose livelihoods are under threat. Shopper Sandra Waites, 54, told Metro: 'It's so sad; it's like the heart has been ripped out of Kingston. It's more than just a market, it's our history. In this day and age of malls and arcades, it's a point of difference Kingston has, and we are very proud of it.'
Jason Eades, who works in a nearby cafe, said: 'The market is the hub of the town. It's heartbreaking to see it, but I'm sure the community will pull together to help rebuild in any way we can.' As well as the market, a Greggs, a branch of the soap shop Lush, a shoe shop and a bureau de change remain closed after they were engulfed in flames. Carl Driver, who had just finished a night shift and was on his way home via the market, saw the blaze take hold. He told Metro: 'There were flames shooting in the air and an intense heat. There are a lot of historic buildings around; it looked like the whole town centre could have gone up in flames.'
Investigation and response
Investigators have been combing through the charred remains of the market to try to find the 'seat of the fire', meaning where on the site it started. Police have concluded the cause of the fire was not criminal after an investigation into the incident was launched. The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: 'Officers attended alongside the London Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service. No injuries were reported. The fire is not being treated as suspicious.'
Kingston Council leader Andreas Kirsch said: 'The Ancient Market sits in the heart of the community and my thoughts are with traders, business owners and residents who have been impacted.' A London Fire Brigade spokesperson added: 'Control officers took the first of six calls at 04.33 and mobilised crews from Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden and surrounding stations to the scene. The fire was extinguished by 06.08. The cause of the fire is under investigation.'
The area which houses the market had been earmarked for a potential revamp featuring new stalls and a piazza with a restaurant, bar and roof terrace. Between the Bridges, which runs a legendary venue in Waterloo by the same name, has submitted an application to Kingston Council for the scheme. No decision had been made before the fire broke out. The race is now on to see if the market can be rebuilt by Christmas, a crucial time of year for traders.
