Shropshire Council denies 'dilapidated' former Ludlow Costa Coffee shop is a dangerous structure amid concerns
Shropshire Council has denied a former Costa Coffee shop in Ludlow is a "dangerous structure" but has said work is soon set to fix it up.
Ludlow Town Council said it has become increasingly concerned about the serious risks to public safety in King Street arising from the "dangerously dilapidated condition of the former Costa Coffee premises".
The coffee shop at 4-5 King Street closed in May 2023.
In a statement earlier this week, the town council said it was urging Shropshire Council's Building Control Team to "act without delay and to exercise their powers under the Building Act 1984 before an avoidable accident occurs".
Shropshire Council has now said it has met with the building's owner and work is set to begin soon but added the building was not classed as a "dangerous structure".
A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said: "Council officers met the building’s owner and a surveyor last month to check its condition and appearance, both inside and outside. The outside is in poor condition, and we know that people in the town are concerned about it. We have advised the owner that they need to carry out repairs soon, and they have agreed to do so once scaffolding is in place.
"The owners have advised that as well as repairing the building they also want to paint more of it, to improve its appearance, However, as part of the building sticks out over a narrow road they’ll need special scaffolding for this, and it makes sense to do this later, along with bigger planned improvements, to minimise disruption.
"The owner is planning to repair and reuse the whole building, including the empty bank next door. They want to turn the top floors into homes and have commercial space below. They’re now working with architects on designs and hope to share their plans with the council soon. We will then work closely with them to help ensure that the planned work is carried out as quickly as possible.
"Building control officers also carried out a visual inspection of the building last week and confirm that, while the building needs some maintenance work, it is not classed as a dangerous structure."
