Plan agreed to make fire-damaged Northampton pub safe

The fire left the building as a smouldering ruin in the clubbing district of Northampton's town centre

A plan has been agreed to make a fire-ravaged pub building safe.

The former Balloon Bar in Northampton's Bridge Street went up in flames on 22 August 2023. The fire left the building unsafe and caused the long-term closure of the road.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) applied for a court order to require the owners to demolish the building.

At the hearing of the case, the owners agreed to carry out the initial work by 12 April.

The fire broke out in the empty three-storey building in Northampton's nightclub district late in the evening of 22 August.

Nine fire crews and additional specialist units tackled the flames.

People who lived in the area were advised to keep doors and windows closed and several roads in the town centre were shut.

A part of Bridge Street remains closed.

Part of Bridge Street has remained closed since the fire in August

WNC applied to the First-tier Tribunal for a court order to require the property's owners, AZ Investments, to demolish the building.

An agreement was reached at the first hearing, which should see the initial work carried out within the next ten weeks.

Zeeshan Manzoor, owner of The Ladz on Bridge Street, told the BBC in September that the road closure was impacting trade

David Smith, WNC's cabinet member for community safety, said: "We're pleased to have reached an agreement with the site's owner, which will result in necessary work being carried out. This will take us a significant step closer to reopening Bridge Street."

WNC said the work would include installing a retaining structure to the front wall of the building to prevent it from collapsing, and clearing wreckage from the fire to allow safe access to the site.

Over the last few months, the BBC has heard from several business owners in the area who said that trade had suffered because of the road closure.