The reopening of a section of Bangor High Street, which has been closed since a devastating building fire in December 2019, has been delayed until at least the beginning of July 2021.

 

The fire destroyed the Noodle One restaurant and the adjoining Morgan Clothes Shop, leaving the buildings in an unsafe state. Scaffolding to support the buildings has forced part of the High Street, between Bangor Cathedral and Lôn Pobty, to be closed to traffic since the fire.

Technical and legal complexities are believed to have hampered the initial progress with the demolition work which finally started in April this year.

The engineers responsible for the work, Evans Wolfenden Partnership (EWP), reported the condition and position of the fire damaged properties, poor ground conditions and congested services necessitated significant investigation and risk mitigation measures attributed to the delays before the demolition could start.

Businesses were told that demolition and road works will be completed ‘around end of May’ with the road re-opened to traffic, however this has now been put back until the beginning of July.

In an update this week Gwynedd Council said: “We can confirm that the demolition of 164 and 166 High Street, Bangor is going well despite the recent wet and windy weather.”

Revised Work Schedule:

  • Week Commencing 31 May – completion of demolition of 164/166 High Street.
  • Week Commencing 7 June – Dig out the piles in the road and reinstate sections of the road as needed.
  • Week Commencing 14 June – Site clearance and quality assurance (Completion of phase 2 Demolition contract).
  • Week Commencing 28 June – Resurfacing sections of road and junction at Lôn Pobty
  • Looking to reopen completely on the weekend of 3rd and 4th July.

Businesses React

Businesses have experienced a significant downturn in trade since the fire and in addition to dealing with problems with deliveries accessing premises, particularly large vehicles. The Covid-19 restrictions has only compounded the situation for High Street businesses.

Jo Pott-Mercer, owner of three businesses in the Pendref area of the High Street, said business owners felt “beleaguered” after 18 months of “being severed” from the High Street.

She said: “There has been no honesty in the approach to this project, no one has taken responsibility for it, laid out a clear plan of action, nor has anyone communicated with the residents and businesses of Pendref to let us know what the plan for demolition & reopening actually was.

“The project has been allowed to drift. Added to the tale of woe, Adra recently closed the road to Lon Pobty traffic to put in new drains. This was essential work, but the filth and dust left behind is shocking.

“Unsealed concrete generates dust with every vehicle which passes over it, dust which covers buildings and surfaces, treads inside and which we breath in. Gwynedd Council, Bangor City Council and Adra all decline to do anything about it until 28th June when they will close the road again for three days to resurface it. Cleaning should be an integral part of the project.”

Jeff Hopkins owner of Mudshark Records feels his business has been completely let down, he said: “Really after Covid and the road closures can things actually get any worse! I’m totally disgusted with the attitude of people in authority, they don’t seem to care.”

Photos: Demolition of the fire damaged buildings on Bangor High Street continues (2) Scaffolding has forced part of the High Street to be closed to traffic since December 2019.