Family Pledges to Re-build Finches Emporium
24th October 2025
Last modified on October 31st, 2025
The iconic London ski shop was destroyed by fire a week ago. The shop opened in 1947 and the family say they will rise from the ashes.
Finches has been central to UK snowsports for decades.
The shop has been the “family’s pride and joy” since it first opened 1947 in Forest Hill in south London.
“Since then we’ve proudly been serving the Forest Hill community and beyond, sharing our family’s passion for cycling, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and the great outdoors,” Finches said.
We reported on the fire as the accident blaze destroyed the shop:
The family have been speaking to Wendy Hurrell from the BBC.
Angela Finch said she is determined to pass Finches Emporium onto the next generation of the family.
“We have to rebuild. We’d just got it how we want. We’ll rebuild.
“It might be smaller, it might take us years to do it. But we want there to be a Finch in Perry Vale forever.”
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London, Finches, has been severely damaged after a fire broke out – Image © London Fire Brigade.
The local community and the wider UK snowsports industry have been rallying round,
“We’re sending our heartfelt support to Finches and their team following the devastating fire last week,” said the organisation, Snowsports Industries of Great Britain.
“It’s hard to see such a valued member of our community go through this.
“We know how much passion and hard work goes into running a store like yours, and the whole of SIGB is behind you as you begin to rebuild.
“If anyone in the industry can lend a hand or offer support, now’s the time to rally together.”
Angela, Frank, Brad, and the entire Finches team is asking for your stories, your memories, and your pictures of Finches in action as they begin to rebuild.
For anyone wishing to help, a GoFundMe page has been set up by friends of the shop.
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