Great Yarmouth council could face Haven Bridge stand-off

Great Yarmouth Borough Council intends to use legal powers to demolish the derelict Haven Bridge pub, which was destroyed in a blaze two years ago after attempts to force the owner and leaseholder to take action on the eyesore.

However, HB Scaffolding is currently locked in a dispute with the authority over an unpaid £400,000 bill after it was called in to make the building safe following the fire in March 2022.

It has been propped up with scaffolding the company erected since shortly after the fire.

The Haven Bridge pub went up in flames in March 2022. Picture - Denise Bradley (Image: Denise Bradley)

The firm says it will not take down its scaffolding unless there is a resolution and the bill gets paid, believing the council should pay the costs as it had a duty of care to make the building safe.

It follows the owner refusing to pay after his insurance company refused to pay any compensation following the fire. 

Michael Black, owner of the company, said: "The council can issue whatever order they like but the scaffolding will stay there until we are paid.

"Legally they cannot alter or dismantle the scaffolding.

"We tried to do the right thing but it has turned out to be the wrong thing."

Ray Clarke, who has been angered by the scaffolders' plight, was left frustrated after he was denied the chance to speak at the meeting (Image: Owen Sennitt)

It means the council face the threat of a second stand-off with the council, after a council meeting was stopped when a member of the public supporting the company refused to stop speaking. 

Haven Bridge Pub in Great Yarmouth on the morning after the fire, before KB Scaffolding arrived (Image: Denise Bradley)

PUB PROBLEMS

The dispute centres around who is liable to pay the bill for the scaffolding, which the firm erected around the Haven Bridge pub as the fire was still smouldering as an emergency measure.

Both the council and the owner of the building deny responsibility for authorising it to be put up.

KB Scaffolding believes the council is liable, as the authority has a "duty of care" to keep the building safe.

Mr Black said he sent more than 200 emails over several months to the council but he received no response.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council says it is "defending rigorously" any claim that the council entered a contractual relationship with the scaffolding company and is liable for the costs.

‘’The council has no contract with KB Scaffolding and nothing further has been heard from KB Scaffolding’s legal adviser," a spokesman said.