Camden market looks to rise from the ashes

Just five days after the serious blaze around the Canal Street market, the council said the roads have been reopened, the streets cleaned and five out of six markets in the area are trading as normal.

From Friday (February 15), the council will be running radio adverts and advertising in London's regional press telling people to head to Camden Town this weekend to support local traders.

Councilor Andrew Marshall, said: "The best thing the public can do to help Camden's market traders is show their support in person. Get down there this weekend because for most, it's very much business as usual."

The council said it was also continuing to work with traders and residents affected by the fire.

It will be offering business advice in a temporary shop due to be set up on Friday in Inverness Street market by the owners of Canal Street Market.

Simon Pitkeathley, chief executive of Camden Town Unlimited, said it was still shocking the number of people who thought the most familiar parts of Camden had burnt down.

"Though the fire was a tragedy, the Camden Town everyone knows and loves is still here," he said.

According to Reuters, the owners of Camden's Hawley Arms pub, which was badly damaged in the blaze, are determined to see it open again.

"We are definitely going to reopen," said Ruth Mottram, one of the pub's three co-owners.

"It was a huge relief yesterday when we found it wasn't going to have to be pulled down, so that is good news," she told Reuters.

But she said it would be at least six months before the pub would be back up and running after repairs to the burnt-out upper floors and water-damaged ground level.

According to the Association of British Insurers, the overall bill for repairs after the massive fire could run into millions of pounds.

Around 450 people were evacuated from their homes as the fire burned last weekend, but there were no injuries.