Fire Engulfs Kosher Kingdom Supermarket in London's Golders Green Amid Wave of Antisemitic Attacks

A significant fire erupted on the morning of 27 May 2026 at the Kosher Kingdom supermarket in the Golders Green area of north London. The London Fire Brigade confirmed the blaze affected a ground-floor shop and a rear storage area within a three-story building that also contains apartments on the upper floors. Approximately 100 firefighters and 15 vehicles were deployed to the scene, and authorities urged the public to avoid the area. No injuries have been reported.

The scene and the response

A journalist from Agence France-Presse at the scene observed a plume of black smoke rising from the site, which was cordoned off by police. Officers assisted with road closures and evacuations. The fire was reported shortly before 7:00 a.m. local time (06:00 GMT).

I think it's coming from the back warehouse.

Jay Shah, a 70-year-old employee of Kosher Kingdom, told AFP he received a call informing him of the fire. He noted that the rear storage area contained freezers, refrigerators, and other machinery.

A community under strain

Golders Green is home to a large Jewish population and has experienced a spate of attacks in recent months. At the end of April, two Jewish men were wounded in a knife attack in the neighborhood. The counter-terrorism police took over the investigation, and a 45-year-old man was arrested at the scene. Beyond that stabbing, the area has seen multiple arsons and attempted arsons targeting the Jewish community.

A little-known group linked to Iran, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), has claimed responsibility for almost all of the recent incidents against these community sites.

Official reactions

In response to the escalating violence, London's Metropolitan Police established a new "community protection team" initially composed of 100 additional officers to ensure the safety of the capital's Jewish community. Following the April knife attack, the British government announced at the end of April an additional £25 million ($31 million) in funding to provide protection for the Jewish community.

The supermarket

Kosher Kingdom describes itself on its website as "the largest kosher supermarket in Europe," with an area of approximately 7,000 square meters and more than 9,500 customers per week. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the London Fire Brigade has not yet commented on the affected business by name, though multiple media outlets have identified it as Kosher Kingdom.