A mayor hopes work can begin to repair a ‘carbuncle’ property in their town.

Gilly Foortse, mayor for Fakenham, was speaking at the town annual assembly on October 1 when she insisted that she and her fellow councillors will continue to urge North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) to get a resolution on the property at Newman's Yard.

The building has had structural problems for years and was served with a notice by NNDC for urgent repairs in 2016.

Then, in September 2019, the building was declared unsafe, the road was shut off and nearby businesses warned.

Eastern Daily Press: Mayor of Fakenham, Gilly Footrse addressing people at the Fakenham Community Centre for the annual assembly.Mayor of Fakenham, Gilly Footrse addressing people at the Fakenham Community Centre for the annual assembly. (Image: Archant)

“A long-standing headache is the Newman’s Building and the buildings in Newman’s yard,” Mrs Foortse said.

“We continue to urge NNDC to push for the resolution of this problem and hope that in due course work can begin on this carbuncle on one of our principal streets.”

The building was in such a precarious situation, that residents on the street were forced to live in hotels as emergency works were carried out on the building back in 2019.

Eastern Daily Press: The crack on the building in Norwich Street in Fakenham.The crack on the building in Norwich Street in Fakenham. (Image: Archant)

Now the building contains a boarded up shop front, surrounded by a fence, with what appears to be an iron support against the front of the shop, along with a collection of cracks across the building.

A spokesperson for NNDC said: “We cannot go into detail over a live enforcement case.

“The council have surveyed the building and taken measures to secure the structure. NNDC has completed a survey which has produced a schedule of works that are required to be undertaken.

"Those works are being pursued with the responsible parties for actions.

Eastern Daily Press: Some of the cracks found on the back of the building in Norwich Street.Some of the cracks found on the back of the building in Norwich Street. (Image: Archant)

“The council continues to actively progress matters in relation to this property and it would be inappropriate to comment further at the current time.”

The building was home to Upstairs Downstairs, an antique and collectables shop. Plus Ruby in the Dust, with flats located on the upper floors of the building.

Now, it is attracting people's gaze for all the wrong reasons, with the fence and boards sticking out on the central town road.