DEMOLITION has been approved for a building destroyed by fire nearly two years ago.
Haltwhistle Working Men's Club was gutted by fire in December 2022 and has since been at the centre of safety discussions between the club's committee, Northern Powergrid and the town council.
Northumberland Fire and Rescue confirmed in April 2023 that the club's fire was likely due to an electrical fault caused by an appliance.
Some of the 100-year-old club was knocked down due to safety concerns with the help of Thompsons of Prudhoe.
However, the site was considered unsafe to be fully demolished as Northern Powergrid had not confirmed the electricity had been safely disconnected.
Haltwhistle Town Council announced that following recent discussions, it has been confirmed the electricity supply is now disconnected and demolition can proceed.
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A town council spokesperson said: "Haltwhistle Town Council acknowledges the community’s concerns regarding the progress at the former Working Men’s Club site. Since the fire two years ago, the responsibility for advancing work at the site has rested with the Working Men’s Club committee.
"Chair of the town council, Cllr Alan Sharp, has attended several meetings in a supportive capacity, hoping that his presence would help facilitate progress.
"Haltwhistle Town Council is pleased to announce that, following recent discussions, Northern Powergrid has confirmed the electricity at the former Working Men’s Club site has been safely disconnected, allowing demolition to proceed.
"We appreciate the community’s patience and will keep you informed as progress continues."
Haltwhistle ward county councillor Ian Hutchinson said it was a 'well-used club' and has been missed in the community.
"It's been very unsightly for the last two years and especially the residents living nearby are fed up with the state of the place and are looking forward to having it refurbished.
"We're going to be stuck with it for a while yet, but at least things are moving."
A spokesperson for Northern Powergrid said: “We’ve been working in partnership with the owners of Haltwhistle Working Men’s Club since December 1 2022 when we first attended site to disconnect electricity supplies in line with emergency protocols, and in collaboration with the local fire service.
“Since then, our teams have worked collaboratively with the customer to agree safe working practices."
A further Northern Powergrid site visit took place on Wednesday, November 13.
The club was contacted for comment.
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