'Foam house' saved from collapse redeveloped

The archway and entryway of the house on St Michael's Street in Shrewsbury was filled with foam to stop it falling down

A house in Shrewsbury that was filled with foam because it was in danger of collapse has been repaired and reopened as apartments, after being done up by a local developer.

The end-of-terrace building on St Michael's Street was built in the 1850s, and its exterior archway was even used in parts of the Shrewsbury-based production of A Christmas Carol in 1984.

On 4 June 2021, the site's residents were evacuated and part of the road was closed, after concerns were raised about the structural stability of the property.

It then became known locally as "the foam house" as later that month, contractors filled the archway and front entrance with foam and plastic tubes.

At the time, Shropshire Council said both the owners and the authority's structural engineers warned the building could collapse at any time, adding that demolition could be the only option.

• Listen: Collapsing House: What Happens Next?

One of the new owners, Stuart Thorner, said that people in adjoining properties had also been evacuated as the building was moving, due to the failure of the archway.

Shropshire Council said in 2021 that the building could collapse at any moment

The site was not demolished, but rather repaired, before being declared safe in September 2023.

Mr Thorner and his wife Katie, who run Shrewsbury-based Summer House Interiors, bought the house in early 2024.

"It was as if somebody had taken their initial belongings, and left, everything was just there, there was still kids toys there, nappies, food, pushbikes... it was almost just standstill in time, really, from 2021," said Mr Thorner.

"Like anything in life you just break it down, take it in chunks and just go at it."

The house opened on 20 November for people to look around

The house lies in a conservation area, and some parts that showcase the house's history remain, like original brick walls and a Georgian staircase.

It reopened on Thursday, and Mr Thorner said he had connected with people that had previously lived in the building.

"We've had people through social media... a lady who had her first child here, the child was actually born upstairs in one of the rooms," he said.