Market Tavern: Sheffield Council accused of “smokescreen” over pub demolition

Hallamshire Historic Buildings (HHB) has issued a hard-hitting response to the findings of an independent investigation into the demolition of the building on Exchange Street, near to the old Castle Market and Sheffield Castle ruins underneath.

The Castlegate area is being regenerated as part of plans to celebrate the historic birthplace of Sheffield.

The group accused the council of “17 years of sustained neglect and mismanagement of this building”. It called for the authority to properly assess the state of heritage buildings it owns and work with interested parties to put in place an action plan to ensure there is no repeat of what happened to the Market Tavern.

The building was demolished in January and the investigation was launched after video evidence published by Now Then magazine showed that the demolition decision had not been prompted by the top turret toppling down while contractors were on-site, making it unsafe, as had been claimed.

The video showed that the turret was still in place after demolition work had started.

Breakdowns

An executive summary of an independent investigation into events surrounding the demolition was published by the council in July. This concluded: “The evidence clearly identified that there were several fundamental communication breakdowns which cumulatively led to misinformation being provided to both internal and external stakeholders.”

The report called for better lines of communication and said that heritage organisations should be consulted far earlier in the process. Representatives only met senior council officials on January 9, the day before the demolition was due to take place.

The investigation found that officials had agreed to call a halt to the demolition until midday on January 10 in order that an independent structural engineer could be brought in to give a second opinion.

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However, an email telling the contractors to go ahead with demolition was issued a few minutes before midday, and one from a heritage group arrived three minutes later.

The report found that there was no malicious intent on behalf of the council and said: “Had there been a consistent chain of command and communication in place whereby everybody was updated at the same time, it is highly likely that the subsequent misinformation would not have occurred.”

HHB said in a statement today (August 27): “That report was an opportunity for the council to take ownership of the situation, yet what we are offered is more smokescreen than summary. We have been dismayed by the council’s lack of transparency.

Dither

“It is extraordinary that the summary still avoids giving a complete account of events. When exactly did the first fall from the building happen? Was it before the order to resume demolition? If not, why was that order given?

“If it was before, how did it happen, and what has been done about it? Five months of dither and an independent investigation, but clear answers to these questions are still conspicuous by their absence.

“What we do know is that the offer from SAVE Britain’s Heritage of a free structural survey by a conservation-accredited engineer was confirmed by a city councillor to the senior officer responsible and others in a meeting well in advance of the painfully short deadline, and shortly afterwards the order to demolish was given.

“As the story has gaps even after all this time, pardon us for remaining sceptical.

“Whilst it beggars belief that this building could have been demolished in error, this fiasco points to a much bigger question: if the council can so complacently absolve itself of responsibility here, how many other fine buildings in its estate are knowingly being left to rot?

“Sheffield City Council must urgently come clean on the condition of heritage buildings in its estate. It claims to want to work with community groups, and it needs to do this, as well as taking advice from suitably-qualified professionals.

Expertise

“If the council does not have the appropriate expertise within its ranks then external consultants need to be brought in.

“It is complete nonsense to claim that ‘the eventual demolishment (sic) of the Market Tavern was inevitable’.”

The statement said that the investigation was carried out by Barrow and Parker, a human resources consultancy. It added: “HR firms are in no position to comment on whether heritage buildings can or cannot be saved.

“Would they really draw such a conclusion in their report, or was this a point of creative interpretation in the council’s summary? As a conservation-accredited structural engineer was never appointed to evaluate the condition of the Market Tavern, the council can make no comment on the inevitability of demolition.

“Far from being ‘inevitable’, the demolition of the Market Tavern concludes 17 years of sustained neglect and mismanagement of this building by Sheffield City Council, from the time of purchase to the demolition order being given.

“Numerous opportunities to protect the building were squandered and the failings run far deeper than recent claimed ‘communication problems’.

Accountability

“The press statement recommends changes for the council to make. Incomplete as these are, they are welcome, but where is the action plan?

“Where is the timeline for implementation? Where is the accountability for their delivery?

“At the outset, we identified several obvious next steps, but were told that acting on these would prejudge the investigation. Where are these now?

“We want urgently to help the council to move forward, but after this performance, the council’s own willingness is less than clear.

“The Market Tavern was an excellent building that could have been a centrepiece in the redevelopment of Castlegate. That building is now lost, but one thing is clear: if Sheffield Council will not address a culture of ignorance and disrespect for heritage within its ranks, further horrors await.”