EXCLUSIVE: Police probe into cause of fire that gutted 'TOWIE restaurant' in Woodford

Police are investigating the cause of a blaze that gutted a restaurant popular with footballers and reality TV stars.

Eighty firefighters and 12 fire engines spent more than three hours tackling the fire which took hold in the Kyto Restaurant in Woodford, near Chigwell.

The popular restaurant has been closed since firefighters arrived on the scene at 11:27pm on Thursday, 30 January 2025 and while a police-led investigation into the cause is carried out.

A Met Police spokeswoman said: "Officers attended the scene of a fire at a commercial property on Chigwell Road, Woodford at 11:27pm on Thursday, 30 January.

"The venue remains closed while the London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police work together to investigate the cause of the blaze.

"There were no injuries in the fire. No arrests have been made at this stage. They are continuing forensics and CCTV work this week."

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: "The ground floor, in the building of three floors, was destroyed by fire.

"The first floor was partly damaged. One of the Brigade's 32-metre ladders was deployed to the scene, alongside the Drone Team. "Essex County Fire and Rescue Service also sent two fire engines to the incident in support of the Brigade.

"The Brigade's Control Room took the first of three calls reporting the fire at 2333, and mobilised crews from Hainault, Woodford, Leytonstone, and surrounding fire stations to the scene. The incident was over by 2:57am."

The London Ambulance Service sent a Hazardous Area Response Team at 1.14am, but fortunately no one was found to be inside.

As the former White Hart pub, it was previously a controversial bar called Deuces Lounge and Bar, that featured in season one of The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE).

It was said in the show to be run by series forefather Mark Wright (above right) and his friend Jade Goody's widower Jack Tweed (above left), and was hit by three arson attacks in the space of a few months.

At the time of the fire, Kyto was a Pan-Asian restaurant, which opened after a major refurbishment and extension.

It was popular with TOWIE cast members past and present and other celebrities who have frequented the venue under its various owners over the past 15 years.

A police car was stationed outside the damaged building, which remained taped off, over last weekend, while the investigation continued.

Before Kyto opened in late 2023, it was Melin, a plush Turkish restaurant, named after its flamboyant owner businessman Ali Melin, 47, who made his money through the popular Turkish barber chain Ali Barbers.

He took on the leasehold of the building in 2019.

Melin also attracted the TOWIE stars and other celebrities.

In 2021 Melin had its license and opening hours reduced after it was accused of breaking COVID-19 restrictions during lockdown, and it was unable to reinstate them after an appeal.

The restaurant closed in summer 2023 before Bangladeshi restauranteur Sagar Parvez revealed plans for the Kyto Pan-Asian eatery in late 2023.

Land Registry records show Mr Parvez's company Kyto Group Ltd paid £1 for the lease of the building, which has 15 years to run,

from Melin Enterprises Ltd on February 16 2024.

Before Melin it was a plush Spanish restaurant called La Sala, also popular with minor celebrities, from late 2014 after Premiership footballers reportedly invested in the venue.

Before that It had sat empty after Deuces Lounge and Bar closed in 2011.

That venue, which Wright and Tweed were said to have invested in, had opened in late 2010, after suffering two suspected arson attacks, and was hit with another firebomb on New Year's Eve the same year.

The pair were both charged with assaulting a customer in January 2011, with Tweed later given community services after he pleaded guilty while Wright was cleared.

It was said in court the man had threatened to throw a brick through the window.

After the fracas Redbridge Council cut its opening hours until 11pm and the venue later shut down.

Mr Parvez and Mr Melin have been contacted for comment.

A spokeswoman for the business that owns the freehold said: "The landlords of the premise are sorry to hear of this unfortunate event and are grateful to hear that no one came to any harm."