Crumbling ‘danger’ New Navigation pub to be demolished
A crumbling ‘dangerous’ Smethwick pub will be demolished this week, council chiefs have revealed.
Sandwell Council feared the New Navigation on Lewisham Road could collapse at any minute and so launched legal action against the pub’s owners.
But the authority has now revealed demolition work will be carried out, starting from today.
The council’s highways department said yesterday that the junction at Bridge Street North with Lewisham Road and Downing Street would be closed for demolition work from today through to Sunday. Diversions will be signposted.
The pub has been sealed off since January due to safety concerns and temporary traffic lights have been in place to stop vehicles passing too close to the building.
Sandwell Council, which has had to spend £2,000 on the traffic measures, is trying to force the owner to take action over the state of the pub, which has also been hit by fire.
The eyesore building, which has dozens of cracks running through it, was engulfed in flames earlier this year.
John Baker, Sandwell Council’s development and regulatory services manager, said: “Temporary traffic lights were installed on January 24. We are taking legal action against the owner of the New Navigation pub due to the building being dangerous.”
A total of 23 firefighters battled a blaze after a suspected arson attack at the pub, which spread throughout the first floor on January 2.
Lewisham Road had to be closed off by emergency services while firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.
