Fire destroyed stalls in Kingston's Ancient Market Place on 6 October. Every stall is now shut to 18 October; the brigade believes the cause was accidental.
Fire destroyed a number of stalls in Kingston’s Ancient Market Place in the early hours of Tuesday 6 October. No one was hurt. The market is closed for the time being, and the cause is under investigation by the fire brigade and the Metropolitan Police.
Updated 11 October: the council has closed every market stall from Saturday 10 to Sunday 18 October, after inspections on 9 October found further safety concerns. Damaged stalls are to be demolished and the square cleared. Traders pay no pitch fees while closed, and shops around the square are open (our report). The fire brigade now says the cause “is believed to have been accidental”.
London Fire Brigade sent four fire engines and around 25 firefighters to Market Place. That is according to the brigade’s incident report.
What the fire brigade says happened
- The brigade took the first of six calls at 4.33am.
- Crews came from Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden and other nearby fire stations.
- The fire was out by 6.08am.
- Police evacuated eight people from the area.
- There were no reports of any injuries.
The brigade says “a range of market stalls were destroyed”. The fire also damaged the fascias of a number of properties and a small part of the roof of a neighbouring building.
The brigade first gave the cause as “under investigation by the Brigade and the Metropolitan Police Service”. Its report, updated on 7 October, now says the cause “is believed to have been accidental and remains under investigation”. The Met has not published a statement on its own newsroom. Neither body has named what started the fire, and we will not guess.
The cordon has been reduced
Market Place was cordoned off after the fire. Kingston Council updated its statement on the fire at 8.20pm on Tuesday.
It says the Met and the fire brigade have finished their investigations at the site. The cordon has been made smaller, so fewer businesses and traders are affected by it. The council has not said which shops are still inside it.
Council leader Andreas Kirsch said he was “shocked and saddened” by the fire. He said: “The Ancient Market sits at the heart of the community and my thoughts are with the traders, business owners and residents who have been impacted by this incident.”
The council says it is working with the fire brigade and the police to support their enquiries, keep the area safe and “prioritise the recovery of our much-loved market”.
The market is closed for now
Between The Bridges, which has run the market for the council since April 2025, put a statement on its Kingston Market website. It says it is “devastated” and is working with the brigade, the police and the council to make the site safe and support the clean-up.
“The market will remain closed for the time being to ensure the safety of the public and traders,” the operator said. It added that it will be supporting the traders affected.
Neither the council nor the operator has given a date for the market to reopen. Neither has said how many stalls were lost.
What is in the Ancient Market
The council’s markets page describes more than 20 permanent stalls, trading seven days a week from 10am to 5pm. They include:
- florists
- fishmongers and butchers
- greengrocers
- an artisan bakery
- street food stalls
The square has been the centre of the town since the 12th century, according to the council’s 2025 announcement of the new operator. Between The Bridges said then that it planned to modernise the permanent kiosks and stalls and refurbish Market House.
What it means for you
- The market is closed until at least Sunday 18 October. Some stalls reopened on 8 October, but the council shut them all again from 10 October (details). We will update this page when it reopens.
- Market Place is partly open again. The cordon is smaller than it was on Tuesday morning, but some of the square may still be fenced off. Allow extra time if you cut through between Clarence Street and the river.
- Shops around the square may have different opening arrangements. The council says fewer businesses are now affected, so check with a shop directly before making a special trip.
- The Christmas market is due in the same square from 12 November. Neither organiser has said whether the fire affects it. Our Kingston Christmas market page has the current dates, and we will check them again before the opening.
- If you saw anything, the brigade and the Met are investigating together. No appeal reference has been published yet. Information can be given to the police on 101, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
For what else is on in town this month, see things to do in Kingston and our roadworks and travel page.
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