Abbey Road restaurant Monak temporarily closed after fire

Monak, located in Abbey Road, has remained closed since the evening of April 28 after armed men said to be wearing balaclavas fled the scene during the blaze.

Metropolitan Police says that a “number of males” entered the venue at 10.30pm before threatening staff with knives and starting a fire.

A spokesperson said: “The males made off prior to the arrival of police. The fire was extinguished and there were no reported injuries.”

In an update today to the Ham&High, police have said no arrests have yet been made.

Monak has announced online it is temporarily closed for “internal works”.

Monak the moment it was on fire (Image: Screengrab from video by @HelenFemix)

A message to customers reads: “Thank you to all our customers, colleagues and friends for your ongoing support.

“We will be back and running soon! So, connect with us via our social media platforms to stay updated for our reopening date.”

There were no reported injuries but half of the ground floor of the restaurant was damaged, the London Fire Brigade said.

Firefighters gave vital survival guidance to those reported to be inside the building at the time and the blaze was under control by 11.23pm.

The Ham&High has contacted Monak to ask when the owners roughly expect to welcome customers once more.

Following the attack, Monak apologised to customers who witnessed the “traumatic event”.

The statement read: “We wanted to take a moment to address our customers who were present during the fire.

“We are sorry that you had to witness this traumatic event, but we are grateful for your safety and co-operation during the evacuation.

“We are determined to rebuild our restaurant and continue to provide the food and experience that we know you love.

“Thank you for continuing to support us during this difficult time, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101, ref 7931/28apr, or - in order to remain anonymous - to contact Crimestoppers.