Pub owner appeals against blaze repairs order

The Haven Bridge pub has been shrouded in scaffolding for almost three years, throughout which arguments about who is responsible to pay the bill are unresolved

A trial date has been set to resolve a legal battle concerning the burned-out shell of a disused pub.

The fire at the Haven Bridge pub in Great Yarmouth's Southtown in March 2022 left the building at risk of collapse.

In June, Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) served a "notice requiring works" against the Nottingham-based owner, Andrew Slater but he has appealed that notice at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court, claiming his tenant is responsible for repairs.

Magistrates were told of separate civil proceedings between contractor KB Scaffolding of Great Yarmouth and GYBC.

Mr Slater and GYBC are due before Great Yarmouth Magistrates on 18 September.

The Haven Bridge pub was catastrophically destroyed by fire in March 2022, and has been propped up by scaffolding ever since

KB Scaffolding Services said it was asked to erect scaffolding around the building to secure it, but the council, the owner of the building and the tenant all deny giving the instruction.

Mr Slater, his tenant Martin Bennington and the council all deny responsibility to settle the scaffolding cost, reportedly in excess of £400,000.

The council has previously said it has no contract with KB Scaffolding.

Mr Slater has said Mr Bennington was responsible for all repairs to the building under the terms of the lease.

David Lowens, on behalf of GYBC, said: "It may help [the court] if I say that under Section 79 of the Building Act 1974, it is only possible to serve [notice to] the owner of the premises.

"That is the council's reading of that section. The situation regarding KB Scaffolding, will be a separate dispute, and will be irrelevant to the appeal."

The scaffolding supporting the building has blocked Steam Mill Lane on Cobholm Island for almost three years

Mr Slater told the BBC outside court the scaffolding was erected to allow a fire investigation to be conducted safely, but that if he had been notified he would have approved the immediate demolition of the building.

In court he said: "The scaffolding is all interlinked, so until the scaffolding is sorted out, nothing can be done with the building.

"We've still got to sort the scaffolding out."

Both parties accepted that works to demolish the building were being held up by the dispute.

The BBC has attempted to contact KB Scaffolding Services without response.