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A takeaway made famous on TikTok has been destroyed by fire a day after it re-opened following a court-ordered closure.
The Lebanese Grill Express in Clerkenwell, central London, had gained notoriety after its shawarma attracted TikTokers, leading to complaints from nearby residents of the Bourne Estate about noise, litter, smoke and fighting.
They complained that the noise went on all night and some accused the takeaway of appearing to be ‘above the law’.
A mother-of-two who lives nearby said teenagers would descend from all over London at around 5pm to do their TikTok videos.
She said: ‘But then there’s violence and fighting, souped-up cars that turn up late in the evening, driving up and down Leather Lane – Some people have even had fireworks fired at their windows.
‘Then there’s the level of noise and the fear factor, which is real. People don’t want to go out on Leather Lane after the market’s gone. It’s not a safe area to walk around now.’
Those complaints led to a temporary closure notice by the Met Police under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
The shop re-opened last week but a fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning.
It destroyed the takeaway, a loft extension and the roof of the building, and damaged part of the first and second floors.
Seven people who lived in the building escaped unharmed and surrounding properties were evacuated, according to London Fire Brigade.
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The fire took three hours to put out with 80 firefighters on the scene at its peak.
A brigade spokesperson said: ‘Two of the Brigade’s 32-metre turntable ladders were deployed to the scene to help fight the fire from above.
‘The Brigade’s Control Office was first called at 5.42am and mobilised crews from Soho, Euston, Islington and other surrounding fire stations to the scene. The fire was under control by 8.51am.
‘The cause of the fire is under investigation.’
Lebanese Grill Express was contacted for comment.
