PICTURES: Historical building in Northampton town centre completely DEMOLISHED as major street set to reopen this week

The former Fat Cats Cafe and Balloon Bar buildings have now been entirely demolished, as works near completion to make the fire-ravaged sites safe.

A court order mandates the works be completed, and the road subsequently reopened by Friday (September 6). The building’s owners say the work will be done by then, and the road will reopen—although it may be closed again for the Men's Tour of Britain cycle race this weekend.

The building’s owners, AZ Investments, said: “We are on time with the court order despite some delays.

“It was quite emotional seeing it all down. I got a bit emotional. I bought the site because it was impacting my other businesses in the town. I’m glad it’s progressing, and it’s one less problem in the town center. Hopefully, this will now help other businesses in the town develop.”

Demolition works started in the second week of July and have taken just under two months to complete. AZ Investments said it’s been a complicated project.

The remaining businesses in the area will be delighted that the road has reopened after years of chaos, which has inevitably impacted business.

Northampton BID said: “Demolition work is being carried out by the owner of the former Balloon Bar in Bridge Street, ahead of the tribunal deadline of September 6 to address the safety issues with the building.

Once the demolition work has been carried out and the area has been made safe again, Bridge Street will be reopened to traffic.

This is a complex demolition, and West Northamptonshire Council has weekly meetings on-site so that they can regularly monitor the work, which at present, is on track to meet the deadline.

We would like to thank all businesses, residents, and road users for their patience during this time.”

West Northamptonshire Council has been contacted for comment.

The historic former Angel Hotel building—encompassing Fat Cats Cafe Bar and Balloon Bar—first went up in flames in January 2012 after a fire was accidentally started by a roofer's torch.

The Fat Cats part of the building, constructed between 1814-16, had been held up by eyesore scaffolding ever since.

Following the 2012 blaze, Fat Cats never reopened, but Balloon Bar did in July 2013, later closing down for good in 2019.

AZ Investments bought Fat Cats in 2015 and Balloon Bar in April 2022. They then submitted plans in April 2022 to part-demolish and convert the Grade II listed building into 43 flats. The plans were approved by West Northants Council (WNC) last year.

AZ Investments said: "We hope to start work on the development later this year to build the apartments. It’s a two-year development. It’s not overnight, but hopefully, people will be able to see progress."

The total build is expected to take around 18-24 months, with the flats due for completion around the summer of 2026. According to AZ Investments, Bridge Street will not be affected by this construction, other than possibly the pavement. Angel Street will be more affected.