Fire-ravaged former nightclub in Northampton town centre set to be DEMOLISHED

A fire-ravaged former nightclub in Northampton town centre is set to be DEMOLISHED.

West Northants Council has confirmed today (Wednesday, September 6) that, due to its condition following the massive fire on August 22, the former Balloon Bar in Bridge Street will be demolished.

WNC says because of this, and the need to protect people from the dangerous site, Bridge Street will be closed to traffic for the foreseeable future.

A WNC spokesman said: “The council is in regular dialogue with the site owner who is making plans for the demolition work to take place. It is vital that this work is carried out in a careful and systematic way to ensure the safety of everyone concerned, including contractors.

“An investigation into the cause of the fire continues, but as the building is potentially unsafe it has not yet been possible to determine an exact cause. Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service will continue their investigations where it is safe to do so and will be on site during the demolition.

“We will be liaising with businesses in the area to ensure we do all we can to help limit the impact this has on them.”

Cllr David Smith, the council’s Cabinet member for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services, said: “We would clearly prefer not to be in this situation, and we’re extremely sorry to those who continue to be impacted by the closure, but people’s safety must be our first priority.

“We’ll continue working with the site owner to ensure the demolition progresses at pace, so we can reopen Bridge Street, but we do not anticipate this being possible for some time.”

Pedestrians can still use Bridge Street, though the pavement directly around the site remains closed.