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“London soul food” restaurant Bando Belly faces a long rebuild after a devastating fire gutted its restaurant and operations space at Peckham Levels.
Co-founder Nazli Ramadan, who is known for her playful but respectful remixes of American and Southeast Asian staples through the lens of south east London — and the sweet indecency of deep-frying Oreos — has started a fundraiser to insulate her staff from financial hardship as the business recovers.
The fire started in a fuse box in the early hours of Wednesday 11 May, quickly spreading through Bando Belly’s small, enclosed space at Peckham Levels and destroyed the kitchen. Ramadan said that like many restaurants still recovering from the impact of COVID-19 on income, the loss of business will affect her ability to repay loans and debts accrued over its short life. Alongside the fundraiser, she plans to organise restaurant events in support of resurrecting Bando Belly.
More soon.