A JustGiving page has been set up to help raise funds for the refurbishment of Cavern

The widespread love felt by musical fans across the UK for Cavern has led to thousands of pounds being donated to the JustGiving page to help with the refurbishment of the club following the blaze on Tuesday night.

Cavern was badly damaged in an accidental fire on Tuesday night that the set fire alarms off at 10pm and went on until 2am. It started in the kitchen but likely as the venue was closed that night, there were no casualties.

It has been less than a week since the page was set up by Bob D’mello, and its target of £3000 has nearly doubled thanks to the support of over 300 donations. Bob is 34 and lives in London, but spent six years in Exeter. He told the Exeter Express and Echo “I started the page so that people could show how much the Cavern means to them. As a friend put it yesterday, the Cavern taught me everything I know about punk and the ‘do it yourself’ attitude. It’s a place that made me who I am. I suspect a lot of people feel that way too. ”

Many artists and bands have taken to Twitter to express their support for Cavern and encourage donations. The iconic club celebrated its 25th Birthday in February and is one of the most celebrated independent music venues in the UK, having attracted the likes of Muse, Biffy Clyro and the Kaiser Chiefs to name but a few.

Pippa and David, who own Carven, said: “We’ll get back to putting on shows as soon as we can, but the fire was severe, so it might take a while. I told someone recently that really the venue is just a blank canvas with an identity made up of all the cool people who come here, who are in bands, make zines, take photos, design artwork and support live music. This fund Bob set up proves that. Thanks again for the kindness.”