Blackstock Market has announced that its roof gardens will remain closed for the rest of 2026 after a fire broke out on the venue's rooftop garden in the early hours of Monday, August 3.
Fire and response
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service were called to the blaze on Blackstock Street in Vauxhall at 2.57am and arrived five minutes later with four fire engines and one aerial appliance. Firefighters found a fire on the roof terrace, and all persons were accounted for. The fire was extinguished at 4.14am.
Two teams of two firefighters wearing breathing masks entered an adjacent building and tackled the blaze on a second-floor office space with a hose. All crews were then withdrawn from the roof due to concerns of structural damage.
When the ECHO arrived at Blackstock Street at 7.25am, a fire alarm was ringing and dozens of workers from different businesses were outside.
Impact and closure
In an Instagram post, a Blackstock Market spokesman said: "We are absolutely devastated to confirm that there was a fire on our roof at the Blackstock Roof Garden in the early hours of Monday morning. Thanks to the fast response of our staff and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, we can confirm that, most importantly, no one was injured. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation."
The spokesman added: "The Blackstock Roof Garden will remain closed for the remainder of 2026 whilst we rebuild. All customers affected by Roof Garden cancellations have now been contacted, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by the late notice. We understand that some customers have large bookings, and we will do everything we can to accommodate these elsewhere within the venue where a suitable alternative is available."
The theatre on the mezzanine level directly below the Roof Garden was also affected. "We hope to have it back up and running as soon as possible, but no shows in that particular space have been cancelled at this stage," the spokesman said. Shows in other theatre spaces will go ahead as normal, and affected customers will be contacted directly.
Support and resilience
The remainder of Blackstock Market was unaffected and remains open as normal. The spokesman concluded: "We've faced many obstacles throughout our 17-year history, and this is another huge setback - but one we will overcome. The best way our community can support us right now is simply by continuing to visit, attend shows and support us. Your patience, understanding and continued support mean more to us than ever."
