Stoke-on-Trent City Council has confirmed that a fire-damaged building in Longton town centre will be demolished this weekend after inspectors raised concerns about the structural safety of the remaining fabric.
Timed closures for safety
The council said the section of Market Street near Times Square will be closed to traffic from 7pm on Friday 17 July to allow the works to take place and is expected to reopen at 3pm on Monday 20 July. The building, previously in commercial use, suffered two fires late last year and has been monitored by council building inspectors since.
"The section of Market Street near to Times Square will be temporarily closed to traffic from 7pm on Friday 17 July to allow for the demolition of a dangerous building. It is anticipated that the road will reopen at 3pm Monday 20 July."
The council stressed that public safety is the priority and apologised for any inconvenience the closures might cause. It added that the demolition will be carried out by private contractors appointed by the building owners, who requested a one‑week delay from the originally scheduled weekend because of logistical issues with the plant and machinery required.
Impact on bus services
Passengers should expect temporary changes to bus routings while Market Street is closed. The council outlined the following alterations:
- Service 11 – inbound buses will divert via King Street, Longton Bus Station (stand 1), Wood Street, Upper Cross Street and Anchor Road before rejoining the normal route.
- Services 6, 6A, 36, 36A – outbound buses will divert via King Street, Longton Bus Station (stand 3), Wood Street, Upper Cross Street, Anchor Road and Market Street before returning to their standard route; inbound journeys will follow the normal route.
- Service 27A – will use Longton Bus Station (stand 4).
| Service | Alteration |
|---|---|
| 11 | Inbound via King St, Bus Station (stand 1), Wood St, Upper Cross St, Anchor Rd |
| 6, 6A, 36, 36A | Outbound via King St, Bus Station (stand 3), Wood St, Upper Cross St, Anchor Rd, Market St; inbound normal |
| 27A | Use Bus Station (stand 4) |
Commuters and visitors are advised to allow extra journey time and to check with their bus operator for any further timetable changes over the weekend.
Civic oversight and accountability
Since the fires late last year, council building inspectors have been monitoring the site and say recent assessments have prompted concern about the future safety of the remaining structures. Responsibility for commissioning the demolition rests with the building owners, who engaged private contractors to carry out the work.
The council's statement made clear the decision to proceed reflects the need to mitigate an immediate hazard in a busy part of Longton. No further details were supplied about the owners, the precise cause of the earlier fires, or plans for the cleared site; those matters remain the responsibility of the property owners and any relevant insurers.
Residents and businesses in the Market Street and Times Square area should expect scaffolding, plant and pedestrian management measures while demolition takes place and are urged to follow any directional signage and safety barriers in place during the operation.
