Crumbling masonry on buildings around one of Bristol’s premier shopping and retail locations has triggered a spate of worried calls to leading city commercial property agents Colliers International.
This follows a recent incident where masonry from an ornamental façade fell from a building, through a glass canopy and landed on a busy shopping street. Bristol City Council have written to occupiers requesting details of what measures have been put in place to ensure a similar incident won’t happen again.
Building consultancy expert Keith Godsmark urged landlords and tenants to act now to ensure their buildings are properly inspected and any remedial works undertaken to protect the public from similar incidents.
He said: “The buildings in the affected area around Queens Road are of a similar age and design – as well as incidents of masonry falling on to footpaths we have been told of incidents where workmen have reported chunks of masonry literally coming away in their hands.
“Landlords and tenants alike need to be aware of the legal obligations imposed on them. Those who have a duty to maintain buildings need to show that they have, in so far as is reasonably practical, put in place measures to regularly inspect their façades and undertake such repairs as are necessary to ensure the safety of the public.
“It is vital landlords and tenants are aware of their responsibilities and that they continuously monitor their buildings for wear and tear.
“The other aspect to bear in mind is that we are not just talking about period buildings. The regulations equally apply to modern buildings as much as ornate facades around some of Bristol’s best-loved shopping streets.”
