A large fire broke out at the former Portlands factory club near Gravesend last night.
Emergency services were called just before 11.30pm to put out the flames coming from the historic building, and the Northfleet high street where the club is located remains closed.
00:01The blaze was intense and the building historic.
00:04Though an emergency crew including eight fire engines worked through the night to save the grade 2 listed building,
00:10only when the dust settled on the Northfleet fire did the true scale of the loss become clear.
00:16Absolutely appalling, it's the worst day in Northfleet's history since the war, the loss of a building of this importance.
00:24Just before 11.30pm last night fire crews were called to put out a flame which had engulfed the Portland's factory club building behind me.
00:32Now although the flame has been put out and severe structural damage has been avoided, as you can see the high street is still cordoned off.
00:39Although empty for more than 30 years, the property was once a hub for the area and has a history dating back centuries.
00:46For this reason, the disruption runs deeper than a few temporary roadblocks.
00:51According to local historian and guide Christopher Bull.
00:55It was opened in 1878 and it was built by Thomas Bevan, the owner of the Northfleet Cement Works.
01:02It was built especially as a three dimensional advert to show what bricks and concrete could do, what it could build.
01:13This is a building full of detail, architectural detail, interesting building, absolutely a great loss and sadly that most people in Northfleet don't even realise it.
01:26In their latest update, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said,
01:29Crews are continuing to advise those travelling in the Northfleet area to avoid the high street due to road closures from firefighting operations.
01:36Asked for comment, Kent Police added,
01:38Emergency services remain at the scene and the high street adjacent to the damaged building along with part of the factory remain closed.
01:45An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire.
01:48But what is certain is that a slice of Gravesham history has been lost forever.
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