With all the excitement of Leigh Lights last week it almost passed me by about The Bell Hotel collapsing. Along with well over 10,000 people, I have watched the video on You Tube and stood aghast as this fabulous old building fell in on itself. It was a wonder that no one was hurt and the disruption was kept to a minimum.

A friend of mine lives nearby and he loved the road being closed. He said it was so peaceful and quiet, I reckon it could have been him sabotaging the building so that he couldn’t hear the traffic in his garden?! Those of us in the Broadway weren’t quite as happy though, as the traffic was redirected up here and it has been busier than ever!

A week or so later and the immediate shock of this landmark building collapsing has subsided a little and people have had time to think. I have heard all sorts of conspiracy theories about why it has happened, what has caused it and who is to blame. I couldn’t possibly put them down in writing and incriminate myself, but the usual theories are all being banded around. It really is worse than the JFK shooting or the first man landing on the moon.

We will probably never know exactly what happened and why, but what is clear is that the developers are now facing huge delays with the site and people quite rightly are nervous about the development. The builders had clearly already spent an awful lot of money and time on the building. The roof was brand new and internally the properties were coming on at a pace.

The kitchen company where I am buying my new kitchen from for my house were due to be fitting kitchens in the new flats in the next couple of weeks, so it was clearly never in the builders plans to floor the building.

The people we should all feel sorry for are the ones who have paid deposits and were excited about moving in to these fabulous apartments. Buying something off of plan is always exciting as all you ever see before actually setting foot in your new property are computer generated images of how you might live; the beautiful soft furnishings and models depicting the dream life of drinking coffee and reading the Sunday papers in what is going to be your new apartment. By the time you actually get to move in you have studied these photos and gone through the specification a million times. With what has happened down there, that feeling may now be tarnished with a hint of fear.

People should be rest assured though that now this has happened, the developers and development will be watched very closely by all parties including insurers, lenders, surveyors and structural engineers.

Whatever they replace The Bell with next will probably be the safest building in Leigh because it will be a belt and braces job to make sure there is not a repeat showing.

That whole area around The Bell Hotel is currently undergoing a huge regeneration so whilst this is obviously a shock and is upsetting, it is only a small setback in what will soon become a very desirable place to live. This site has stood derelict for so many years, we shouldn’t let it be delayed any further and try and disrupt this new development.

It is a bit drastic for such a landmark building to collapse but if it stimulates something new and possibly better then so be it. As long as it is rebuilt safer and to the same design we shouldn’t complain and should welcome it.

It is wrong of me to speak about The Grand in the same context? Another landmark building in need of huge investment having stood empty now for many years in need of new impetus?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvA0Lb0vbZU

This article is by Rob Kahl at Scott & Stapleton