A renowned London nightclub, a favourite among celebrities, is set to reopen within days after a significant fire prompted 80 firefighters to attend the scene in the early hours of Monday.
The blaze erupted at Kensington Roof Gardens, known for hosting stars such as Madonna and Sir Cliff Richard, shortly before 1am, according to the London Fire Brigade (LFB).
Upon their arrival at the west London venue, approximately 40 individuals had already been safely evacuated.
The LFB confirmed that the fire completely destroyed a plant room situated on the roof of the nine-storey building. The cause of the incident remains "under investigation". The venue was also famously home to four flamingos prior to the pandemic.
A spokesperson for the nightclub stated: "Nobody was hurt and there is no fire damage inside the building. As a precaution, we are carrying out safety checks and hope to reopen in the next few days."
“We would like to thank the Kensington & Chelsea fire teams for their swift response."
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: “Twelve fire engines and around 80 firefighters tackled a fire at a commercial building on Kensington High Street in Kensington.
“A plant room on the roof of the nine storey building was destroyed by the fire. Around 40 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. There are currently no reports of any injuries.
“One of the Brigade's 32-metre turntable ladders was used at the scene as an observation tower to provide the Incident Commander with an aerial view of the fire.
“The first call was received at 0057 (26/01) and Control Officers mobilised crews from Kensington, Hammersmith, Chelsea and surrounding fire stations to the scene. The fire was under control by 03:36. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
A Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesperson said: “We would like to thank the London Fire Brigade for their swift response to a fire at a rooftop venue off Kensington High Street in the early hours of Monday morning.
“We are very grateful that no one was injured and the fire has now been extinguished, and Council specialists will be supporting ongoing safety checks on the building.
“There may be some disruption in the area this morning while the emergency services complete their work.”
Kensington Roof Gardens, originally opened in 1938 and reopened in 2024 as an exclusive private member’s club. The gardens closed to the public in January 2018 after leaseholder Virgin Limited Edition and the freeholder failed to agree on a lease renewal. The revamped venue now hosts celebrity and fashion events, social gatherings, and club nights.
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