A club which played a key role in the relief effort in the hours and days after the Grenfell Tower fire has reopened for business.

Maxilla Hall Social Club, based beneath the Westway flyover in Maxilla Walk, held a private function on Saturday (July 1), before opening its doors the following day.

In the immediate aftermath of the devastating fire, which claimed the lives of at least 80 people, the hall was crammed to the rafters with donations , with a total of 4,700 boxes filled.

The hall also hosted a special edition of the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show on Wednesday (June 28) morning, where Grenfell Tower residents confronted housing minister Alok Sharma.

Albert Walsh, seen here inside Maxilla, runs the club with his son Joe

On Sunday (July 2) a two-hour vigil organised by a church group also took place close to the social club, with hymns sung.

It was attended by members from different faiths and also included food and drink and the lighting of candles.

The social club is run by father and son licensees Albert and Joe Walsh.

Albert said: “Life will never be the same again but life goes on. It’s never going to be normal but you have to go on."

Joe said: “We had a small function on Saturday and we were open on Sunday, but we were mainly providing the church group and vigil with kitchen, toilet, furniture and electrics.”

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He said on the morning of the fire, on June 14 , the club originally opened to offer tea and coffee before “it just became a drop-in centre”.

Addressing the reopening of the centre, he added: “We have to start living again don’t we?”

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