The vicar of a church gutted by a blaze has said the past eight months have been "tough and painful" but is looking forward to "a real buzz" as it rebuilds.

The roof of St Mark's Church in Hamilton Terrace collapsed after it was ravaged by flames late on January 26.

Structural engineers were called in amid fears over the safety of its spire and the Grade II-listed Victorian church has been encased in scaffolding since.

Ham & High: More than 80 firefighters tackled the blaze whipping through St Mark's Church (Image: LFB)More than 80 firefighters tackled the blaze whipping through St Mark's Church (Image: LFB) (Image: LFB)

Now months later and following a £150,000 investment, the community hall on the church site will open next month for indoor services to resume.

The vicar, Mother Kate Harrison, is determined the church's work will continue.

She said: "It's pants what happened to the building. It's really painful and it has been tough but we need to carry on, it's not a little social club, it's about serving the community."

Ham & High: St Mark's Church in St John's Wood is destroyed by fire. Photo: LFBSt Mark's Church in St John's Wood is destroyed by fire. Photo: LFB (Image: LFB)

Income from renting out the hall will help pay for the rebuilding of the church. Children's classes, marriage classes, comedy nights, a new wellbeing cafe and a paint and sit class will resume, but Kate said they want a wider range of classes.

She said: "If somebody wants to do a pilates class in there, get in touch with me, do a music class, get in touch with me. Anything anyone wants to do in there.

"We need that community hall to be a space for everyone. It will be amazing to have that space back and usable for the community. We want as many people as possible to use it."

Ham & High: Mother Kate Harrison, vicar of St Mark's ChurchMother Kate Harrison, vicar of St Mark's Church (Image: Mother Kate Harrison)

Nonetheless this means church services and worshippers will have to share space. Silent rows of empty pews for a little quiet reflection may not return for a while.

Mother Kate said: "It's going to be interesting worshipping in a community hall. I'll have to put everything away at the end of every service. It'll be weird because we're so used to having a church building."

Ham & High: Mother Kate Harrison, vicar of the fire damaged St Mark's Church, said it will be 'weird' worshipping in the refurbished church hall but a 'buzz' welcoming the communityMother Kate Harrison, vicar of the fire damaged St Mark's Church, said it will be 'weird' worshipping in the refurbished church hall but a 'buzz' welcoming the community (Image: Mother Kate Harrison)

That said, sequestered sanctity does not seem to be this vicar's thing.

"There will be a real buzz about it," she added. "As far as I'm concerned that's the heart of the Christian faith, we're not here as a Sunday morning social club. The Christian faith is there to serve the community whether they share the faith or not, we're there to serve them."

The fire brigade and forensic scientists have found no cause for the fire that devastated the church, which was inaugurated in June 1847.

Ham & High: St Mark's Church in St John's Wood after firefighters battled flames during the night (Image: Joseph Reaidi)St Mark's Church in St John's Wood after firefighters battled flames during the night (Image: Joseph Reaidi) (Image: Joseph Reaidi)

Mother Kate seems to have mixed feelings about whether knowing what happened will bring any peace of mind.

She added: "It's really horrible, I really want to know what happened. I feel nothing will give some closure. All these questions, you want to know why, you want to know how.

"At the moment it's still a dangerous site. We know the pews have gone but we don't know if there's been any structural damage to the walls. We hope not, but you don't know with buildings until you can get in there with the experts actually looking."