Chester

Bridge Street in Chester gets back to normal with the removal of the scaffolding that has supported the emergency repair work to number 15 Bridge Street over the last few weeks. The cracks that were evident on the wall above the rows gone with new decoration.

Bridge Street recently closed to traffic and pedestrians at street level and on the eastern row level has now been reopened. A substantial construction of scoffolding and steel girders now support the vulnerable upper story wall of number 15. Businesses operating within the restricted area have now reopened although those within the building itself remain closed. Work to remove the rotten timber beam that is bearing the weight of the brickwork above and replacement with steel is expected to take a month.

Work continues on stabilising the front brick work of the building. The roadway beneath is still closed to traffic and pedestrians. Which means that walking down Bridge Street requires mounting the steps onto the row on the western side of the street. As you will see in these pictures the wall is being secured by the insertion of large steel girders.

The road access along Bridge Street and along the eastern row level has been interrupted because of an unsafe building. Number 15 Bridge Street, Chester, occupied on the street level by Sayers, bakers and on the row level by Panasonic has been found to be structurally unsafe. The property of Grosvenor Estates the building was built in 1861. After a survey of the building on the 9^th February a supporting beam on the second floor level was found to be rotten. The building was evacuated. These photographs show the closing of the street whilst scaffolding is erected and emergency repairs can be made to the building to make it safe for the public.