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A derelict shop in Preston city centre appears close to collapse and is posing a serious risk to anybody walking past it, a business owner has claimed.
Andy Jones says he has witnessed a rapid deterioration in the condition of the empty premises, opposite his own, on Cannon Street – but that nobody is doing anything about it.
The upper floor of the unit looks to be bowing and Andy says part of the roof at the back of the building has already fallen in.
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He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that a Preston City Council inspector promptly visited the site after he first raised concerns in February and said the authority would contact the owner of the shop to have it made safe.
Since then, however, no remedial work appears to have taken place and Andy, who runs Idol Hands Bespoke Tattoos, says he is now getting radio silence from the town hall – in spite of what he believes is an obvious danger.
“You don’t have to have a degree in construction to understand the building is about to collapse into a busy pedestrian area which is always full of shoppers – and it would be a risk to life if that happened.
“After all the rain we had last week, it dropped a little more – and I would say it’s moved significantly again over the weekend. I don’t think it will last much longer.
“I left messages with the council last month, but I haven’t heard anything back – so I don’t know what’s going on.
“People sit in my waiting room and comment that it looks like it’s about to fall down. There is also a lady who lives in the flat directly next to it – so if it collapsed, [her] building could fall inward,” Andy warned.
It is thought the premises was last in use as a takeaway, but Andy says in the 19 years he has been based on Cannon Street – originally next door to the building in question – it has always stood empty.
Responding to the warning about the safety of the retail unit, a spokesperson for Preston City Council said: “We are aware of 14, Cannon Street and are working with the owner, advising them of the relevant legislation to make sure they do not contravene planning legislation in acting to make the building safe.
“We have informed the owner of the planning and building control procedures should demolition be the only option.”
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