Crumbling building again forces closure of pavement

A PAIGNTON town centre footway which has been partly closed for more than a week amid fears for the safety of shoppers could be open again soon.

- Guy Henderson

The pavement through Station Square and one lane of the busy road was closed at the end of November after an engineer working for the building’s owner called in Torbay Council's building control team.

Businesses from 62 to 80 Victoria Street, including a takeaway, a mobile phone shop and the popular Queen Victoria pub, have been closed “until further notice”.

A spokesperson for the council said it had implemented an “emergency closure” of the footpath due to safety concerns. “We acted swiftly to protect the public,” they said.

In May 2023 a large chunk of masonry fell from the building onto the pavement below, narrowly missing shoppers.

The buildings are privately owned by a company called Solanki Holdings, which acquired them in autumn 2023.