London market place 800 years old rises from the ashes after stalls destroyed by massive fire

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A historic market place in London has started to reopen after stalls were gutted by a huge blaze.

Fire swept through the 800-year-old market area in Kingston-upon-Thames in the early hours of October 6.

Four fire engines and 25 fire fighters raced to the scene as the flames spread through the stalls around 4.30am.

Eight people were evacuated as the blaze, which lasted an hour-and-a-half, ripped through stalls.

A video taken by Toni & Guy Kingston showed the devastating fire.

Damaged stalls had to be demolished and removed.

Other remedial work was needed as part of a huge clean-up operation.

A fortnight after the fire, the first stalls, those on the opposite side to where the blaze erupted, reopened on Monday.

Stalls affected by the fire remained closed.

A fireman tackling the blaze on Tuesday morningToni & Guy KingstonKingston Council leader Andreas Kirsch said: “We are working hard to reopen Kingston’s Ancient Market safely following the devastating fire.

“Clear up work at the site is progressing well.

“We understand how hard this is for traders but the safety of everyone who uses the market is our priority and we will take every precaution necessary.”

One trader, Tim the Fish, who has had a stall at the market for over 30 years, set up a GoFundMe page to get his business back up running again.

He has been inundated with support from customers and has raised nearly £14,000 from 580 donations.

Tim the Fish who has operated in Kingston Market for 30 yearsTim the FishSpeaking about his fundraiser, Tim said: “A devastating fire has forced my stall to close.

“Unfortunately, I did not have insurance in place, which means I am now facing the full financial impact of what has happened.

“On top of losing my livelihood, I am left with significant debts for fresh stock that I can no longer sell to the people in our local town.”

He added: “After more than 30 years of working hard and serving my community, I never imagined I would find myself in a position where I would have to ask for help.

“Any money raised will go towards helping cover the stock and debts I have been left with, the losses caused by the fire, and hopefully giving me a chance to rebuild and get back on my feet.”

The aftermath of the blazeToni & Guy KingstonThe fire is believed to have started in a faulty fridge and then to have spread through the stalls, also damaging other stores that look onto the market place.

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A cordon was put in place while police officers and firefighters tried to establish the cause of the fire.

A market has been located in Kingston for centuries, with the oldest surviving records dating back to the early 1200s.

The Ancient Market is home to more than 25 permanent stalls and trades seven days a week, from 10am to 5pm.

It includes a fishmongers, greengrocers, florist, an artisan bakery and a number of food stalls.

Fish stalls at the outdoor market at Kingston-upon-Thames in 1956GettyThe Between The Bridges market operator was appointed by Kingston Council to run Kingston Ancient Market from 1 April 2025.

It has experience operating the Southbank ‘Between The Bridges’ market, Clapham’s Venn Street Market and Winterville.

On taking over the running of the Kingston market, it stressed that it wanted to transform it into a vibrant, distinctive venue that fosters a strong sense of community.

It proposed installing new market stalls, refurbishment of the Market House for a new restaurant/cafe, relocating a statue, more external seating, better waste storage facilities and improved toilets.