The ninth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire is expected to be the last before the building is completely demolished. This milestone comes as police and prosecutors have announced that up to 20 companies and 57 individuals could face criminal charges over the blaze. Decisions on whether charges will be brought are expected before next year's 10th anniversary.
Potential Criminal Charges
Potential offences under consideration include corporate gross negligence manslaughter, fraud, health and safety breaches, and misconduct in public office. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a timeline for decisions has been set, aiming for clarity before the 10th anniversary.
Grenfell survivor Edward Daffarn described the update on legal proceedings as "encouraging" but noted that the continued "wait for justice is tortuous, and it's an old expression, but justice delayed is justice denied."
Anniversary Events
A church service will take place on Sunday afternoon, followed by the annual silent walk in west London in the evening. The names of the 72 victims will be read, and campaigners will deliver speeches. This is the first anniversary where bereaved and survivors cannot visit the tower to lay flowers, as demolition began in September last year and is expected to take about two years.
Mr. Daffarn told the Press Association: "This is the first year that bereaved and survivors are not going to be able to visit the tower to lay flowers and pay our condolences. We don't know exactly what the site is going to look like next year on the 10th anniversary, so people are having to find different ways to remember."
Background and Inquiry Findings
The blaze in June 2017 was found by a public inquiry to have been avoidable, preceded by "decades of failure" by governments and the building industry to act on the dangers of flammable materials on high-rise buildings. The inquiry's final report in 2024 found that victims, the bereaved, and survivors were "badly failed" through incompetence, dishonesty, and greed. The tower block was covered in combustible products due to the "systematic dishonesty" of firms that made and sold the cladding and insulation.
Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick condemned the "deliberate and sustained" manipulation of fire safety testing, misrepresentation of test data, and misleading of the market.
Demolition and Memorial Plans
The government's decision to demolish the tower was met with criticism from some bereaved and survivors, who felt their views were not considered. Then-housing secretary Angela Rayner acknowledged that the meeting with those affected was "really difficult" and that there was "not a consensus" on what should happen to the tower. Views have varied, with some hoping for parts of the tower to remain as a memorial, while others found it "too painful."
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed that work at the tower will pause from Friday until Tuesday as a mark of respect. Separately, the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has been consulting on plans for a permanent memorial, including a "sacred space" for remembering and reflecting. Design team Freehaus was chosen last year to create the memorial and is working with bereaved and survivor families and the local community. A final design is expected in mid-2027.
An MHCLG spokesperson said: "As we approach the ninth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, our thoughts are with the bereaved, survivors, and all those affected. We remember the 72 people who lost their lives, and are committed to ensuring that what happened at the tower is not forgotten, and never happens again."
