THESE were the scenes as a Newbridge charity shop and coffee shop which were destroyed by a fire were demolished over the weekend.

The work to demolish St David's Hospice Care shop and Station Coffee Shop on the High Street started on Friday due to structural damage caused by Wednesday's fire.

A Caerphilly council spokeswoman said following a structural review into the extent of the damage "it has been deemed necessary to demolish both privately-owned properties."

The work is due to be completed by tomorrow and the High Street will be able to reopen shortly after. The fire has been ruled as accidental.

Five shops had to be evacuated due to heavy smoke from the blaze which is reported to have started in St David’s Foundation charity shop and spread to Station Coffee Shop. There were 36 firefighters called to tackle the fire which started at around 12.25pm on Wednesday.

Crews from Aberbargoed, Risca, New Inn, Abertillery, Caerphilly and Maindee attended the scene and left at 10.30pm. There were no casualties as a result of the fire and a spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue said the fire was under control by 3.40pm but crews remained at the scene.

They returned in the early hours of Thursday morning to dampen down.

Royston Lewis, of Newbridge, who has owned the coffee shop for eight years, said he has given his six staff members, who had been uncertain about their employment following the fire, shifts in his second cafe, Victoria’s Cafe.

The charity is hoping to have a shop back up and running in Newbridge as soon as possible and items to be donated to St David’s Hospice Care are asked to be taken to either the Blackwood or Ystrad Mynach shops.

Diversions are still in place on High Street for traffic but pedestrian access is available.