Landlord of fire-ravaged former nightclub in Northampton issues scathing response after WNC tells him to demolish site

The council has served legal papers demanding that a fire-ravaged former nightclub in Bridge Street, Northampton is demolished – but the landlord of the site says the move is a ‘waste of taxpayers’ money’.

Bridge Street has been partially closed since a massive fire ripped through the former Balloon Bar building nearly four months ago now, while Fat Cats burned down in 2012 and never reopened.

Fire crews were called to the blaze at around 11pm on Tuesday, August 22 following 999 calls of a four-story building on fire.

On September 6, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) said the building will be demolished but did not say when.

Because of the planned demolition, Bridge Street has been partially closed to traffic ever since and for the foreseeable future, leaving the notorious street looking very sorry for itself.

Nearly four months on from the fire, WNC says it has now served legal papers to the landlord, AZ Investments, to make the building safe.

A council spokesman said: “WNC has applied to the First Tier Tribunal for an order compelling the owners of the former Balloon Bar in Bridge Street, Northampton, to make the building safe.

“The building was significantly damaged by fire in August this year and, as a consequence, a section of the eastern side of Bridge Street, between its junctions with George Row and Kingswell Street, has had to remain closed.

“In order to protect the public and get the road reopened, the council has applied for an order under S77 of the Building Act 1984 which would require the owners to carry out the necessary work to make the building safe.”

AZ Investments issued a scathing response to the council, saying the tribunal is a ‘waste of taxpayers’ money’.

An AZ Investments spokesman said: “AZ Investments stands firm in opposition to the recent order issued by the council, which we deem as unreasonable and detrimental to both business interests and public safety.

“We would like to emphasise that we obtained planning permission in November 2022 to demolish the site and develop it into apartments and commercial units. Since then, we have diligently sought to fulfil the necessary conditions, but the council's inadequacy in planning officer resources has impeded our progress.

“The council has failed to respond to our numerous emails, calls, and legal letters, including those detailing the site's vulnerability to break-ins and fires.

“Despite our repeated warnings over the past year, the council has not addressed the safety concerns. Even after a fire in August 2023, the council has refused to engage in discussions regarding the discharge of planning conditions necessary for the safe demolition of the site.

“We are resolved to defend against this order and pursue costs, as we believe the council's actions are an unwarranted waste of taxpayers' money on legal fees without a justifiable cause. It is crucial for the public to be aware that AZ Investments has invested substantial resources and efforts to resolve this matter and contribute to the improvement of Bridge Street.

“AZ Investments remains committed to transparency and urges the public to recognise our sincere efforts to address the issues at hand.”

Opposition councillor Danielle Stone (Labour) weighed in on the issue which sits in her ward. She said: “This is a lesson in what can go wrong if buildings are left derelict for a long time. It should never have happened. I have been urging WNC to work with the landlord to find a mutually satisfying way forward. I am sorry this has not happened.”

AZ Investments bought Fat Cats in 2015 and Balloon Bar in April 2022 – both of which have sat empty ever since.

In March this year, the owners were given planning permission to part-demolish and convert the Grade II listed building into 44 flats and commercial space, having applied in April 2022.