A much-loved Sydenham café has been left badly damaged after a fire tore through part of its premises, prompting a community fundraising drive to help the business recover.
Kynd Café on Newlands Park sustained major damage to the rear of the building and its garden after the blaze, which firefighters say is believed to have started accidentally through the unsafe use of smoking materials. The fire also damaged nearby flats, with part of the ground floor shop and rooms above affected.
No one was injured, but the café has been forced to close while damage is assessed and plans for repair are drawn up. A fundraising page set up to support the business says the fire severely damaged the back part and garden of the café and left the team facing a major rebuild.
The café, which opened at 44B Newlands Park and has built a reputation as an independent neighbourhood spot, has been described by supporters as an important local business and social space in Sydenham. Regular customers and residents have already begun sharing donations and messages of support online.
Fire crews were called to the scene on August 2, with London Fire Brigade later confirming that the blaze had affected a range of mid-terraced shops with flats above. The cause is now understood to have been accidental.
