A fire in the roof of the Bendalong General Store and Cafe closed the business, which is a social hub, as well as the only place in the town to get fuel, takeaway and groceries. 

As the fire started a week ago, co-owner Matt McBride had just arrived at the store when staff reported an “unusual” amount of smoke coming from the roof. 

Just minutes later, they spotted flames and phoned triple zero.

“We are used to having kitchen vapours coming out, but this wasn’t the same. I went and checked up stairs, and by the time I came back downstairs there were flames and we all got out," Mr McBride said.

“Just 15 minutes later, there were plumes of smoke and the first fire crew had just arrived. I wasn’t even going to attempt putting a fire extinguisher into the ceiling, it was beyond that point by the time I saw flames."

Mr McBride cut off the power and gas before emergency services arrived. 

“The smoke was pretty bad. We eventually had several fire crews on the scene, and I was watching on absolutely gutted,” he said. 

“It was an interesting sensation watching everything you had worked hard for go up in flames.” 

Other part-owners Kevin and Jessica Kensley, who were overseas when they heard of the fire, and Kristy McBride, were now working hard to have the business reopen for the holiday period. A dozen staff were also out of work. 

“It is a really poor situation to be in, but also to know there is a circle of people who have had their livelihoods affected is horrible," Mr McBride said. 

The four owners have had the store for more than three years. In that time, they have turned the venue into a community “hub”, and have customers who enjoy a social coffee each morning. 

They have already been able to start selling bread and newspapers, and hope to soon have power to make coffee and food. 

“The place is normally abuzz,” Mr McBride said.

“We just want to be open again in some capacity for the holidays.

“We have had so many people offer to help us get there, but we are at a stage where we can’t really do much. We need to get some temporary measures in place before we can really get into the guts of the clean up process.”

The majority of the building will have to be replaced before it is business as usual, but Mrs McBride said she wanted to see the community “band together, and grow with us”. 

“It would be great to have them support us and buy from us as we gradually increase what we are able to offer while we work to fully reopen,” she said. 

“We want to first be able to get off the ground and offer locals and visitors fuel, ice, and the staples.” 

Mrs Kensley said the “social hub” at the shop had been created because of their consistent opening hours and cafe.

“We started out with about three regular locals, and now we have regulars filling up all the seats, having a chat with each other,” she said. 

“Our signature Bendi Burger is really popular with tourists and locals.”