Help Rebuild South Shore Pitstop Our Community’s Safe Space Lost to the Fire

In a single night, our community lost more than just a building we lost a place that many people called their second home. Now we need your help to bring it back.

Friday 6th February 2026 is a date we will never forget. It is the day our nightmare began.

A ferocious fire broke out at Smart Mart and Smart Play, just two doors away from us. The blaze destroyed the entire building and caused devastating damage to the surrounding businesses. Sadly, our beloved South Shore Pitstop Community Café was one of the businesses affected.

From that moment, everything changed.

South Shore Pitstop was never just a café. It was a place where people came to feel safe, welcomed and valued. A place where someone struggling could walk in, sit down with a warm drink and know they were not alone. For many in our community it became a lifeline a space where friendships were built, support was given freely and no one was ever turned away.

Over the years we poured our hearts into building something special. The café became an award-winning community hub, recognised not just for the food we served but for the kindness, compassion and support that lived within its walls.

But the fire changed everything.

Although the flames were not inside our café, the impact of the blaze and the devastation around us has ultimately forced us to close our doors. A place that once brought warmth, comfort and connection to so many people has suddenly gone quiet.

The loss is heartbreaking.

For me, this café was my livelihood, my passion and my purpose. Years of hard work, long days, sacrifices and dreams were poured into creating something that truly mattered to people.

For the community, the loss runs even deeper.

Many people relied on South Shore Pitstop as a safe place to go somewhere to escape loneliness, to talk, to laugh, to feel part of something. Since the closure we have heard from so many people who feel the absence of that space in their daily lives. The café was a second home to many and losing it has left a real hole in the heart of our community.

To make matters even harder, although we had insurance in place, we have since discovered that the broker placed us on the wrong insurance policy. The policy arranged was designed for a landlord, not for a tenant operating the premises. This means that despite believing we were protected, we now face the devastating reality that the building will not be paid out under the policy.

It has left us not only heartbroken but facing overwhelming financial loss and uncertainty.

Everything we built together has been taken from us in a moment we could never have prepared for.

This fundraiser is about more than just rebuilding a business. It is about bringing back a space that our community truly needs.

Any funds raised will go directly towards helping us rebuild, recover and reopen South Shore Pitstop so we can once again serve the people who relied on us and recreate the safe, welcoming environment that meant so much to so many.

If South Shore Pitstop ever made you feel welcome, helped you through a difficult day, gave you a place to belong, or simply made you smile over a cup of coffee, please consider supporting us. Every share, every donation and every kind word brings us one step closer to opening our doors again. Our dream is to once again see the café filled with laughter, conversation and the community that made it so special. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us keep that dream alive