Provisional court date set over future of severely fire-damaged ex-catalogue shop on Fleetwood's Lord Street

A court hearing over the future of a severely fire-damaged former catalogue shop on Lord Street in Fleetwood has been provisionally listed for September 2, Wyre Council has confirmed.

The council has applied to the Magistrates’ Court for an order under Section 77 of the Building Act 1984, seeking to ensure the building is made safe and the danger posed by the structure is addressed. However, Wyre Council said the court has not yet authorised the summons needed for the hearing to proceed.

The council said it cannot legally serve a court summons until it has been authorised and issued by the court. The building’s owners are also legally entitled to a minimum of three clear days’ notice of the hearing, excluding weekends and bank holidays. Wyre Council said it has been repeatedly chasing the matter and understands the summons is currently awaiting authorisation by the court’s legal team.

If the court grants the Section 77 order, the building owners will have 14 days to comply. The council has stressed that the 14-day period would begin on the date the order is made, which would be the date of the hearing, rather than when the application was submitted.

The former catalogue building was severely damaged by fire in June 2026 and has changed ownership twice since the incident. Following the most recent transfer of ownership, the council contacted the new owners on July 29, giving them 14 days’ notice to carry out essential safety measures.

These included the erection of structural scaffolding to enable repair works and protect the public. The council has said Lord Street cannot be fully reopened until the scaffolding has been properly erected and the necessary repairs completed.

While the current owners have taken steps towards the required work, the scaffolding installed so far has not been completed to a standard that gives the council sufficient assurance over the safety of residents, visitors and neighbouring businesses.

The situation has attracted further attention after workmen were seen at the site on August 20 removing scaffolding supporting the severely fire-damaged building. It remains unclear whether the removal of the scaffolding marks the beginning of restoration work or whether it will lead to the long-awaited reopening of Lord Street.

Wyre Council has now provided a further update on the situation, saying it remains in regular contact with the building’s owner. The owner has advised the council that a new scaffolding contractor will begin delivering the necessary materials today, with work due to start on Friday.

If a Section 77 order is granted and the owners fail to comply within the 14-day period, the council will have powers to carry out the necessary works itself and recover the reasonable costs incurred.

Wyre Council said it will continue to provide updates as progress is made, with information to be shared through its social media channels and the latest news section of its website.