A BUSY stretch of Lime Street is to remain closed for a seventh week due to the condition of the derelict former Futurist Cinema, Liverpool City Council announced today.
The city centre artery had been due to fully reopen today after one side of the road was sealed off on April 18.
A full closure began on May 23.
According to the council, building safety inspectors found last month that the condition of the structure on Lime Street hasd deteriorated with internal collapse, leaning walls and a high risk that cladding tiles may fall off.
A further report has found it is in worse condition than first thought, and structural experts fear the entire façade could collapse when work begins to make it safe.
The city council asked the Court of Appeal on 16 May to consider an alternative plan which would have meant taking the structure down to ground level without closing the road. This was rejected by a judge following an objection from SAVE Britain’s Heritage who, at an earlier hearing on 6 May, unsuccessfully attempted to get the essential safety work halted altogether.
In order to prevent any risk to the public or contractors the road will be closed in both directions and the work will now be carried out remotely from outside the building using a crane and cherry picker to carefully remove unstable pieces of the structure.
Council structural experts say the risk of the building collapsing has not yet been eliminated "due to the complex nature of the structure and the progressive failure of individual elements".
"Lime Street will remain closed as the façade of the Futurist is still in a precarious state and condition, and the closure will protect public safety," said a council statement.
The closure is from Skelhorne Street to Copperas Hill with pedestrian access maintained on the side of Lime Street opposite the Futurist.
A council spokesman said: “We thank motorists and commuters for their ongoing patience while work takes place to make the façade of the Futurist safe.”
For traffic travelling from the north: London Road, Seymour Street, Russell Street, Clarence Street, Rodney Street and Leece Street.
Traffic travelling along St Anne Street and Pembroke Place: Seymour Street, Russell Street, Clarence Street, Rodney Street and Leece Street.
Traffic travelling up St Johns Lane: Lime Street, Commutation Row, Hunter Street, St Anne Street, Norton Street, Seymour Street, Russell Street, Clarence Street, Rodney Street and Leece Street.
For motorists on Lime Street (between London Road and Georges Place) who have missed the advanced signage, the alternative route is: right onto St Georges Place/St Johns Lane, Whitechapel, right onto Victoria Street, Byrom Street, right onto Hunter Street, right onto Norton Street, Seymour Street, Russell Street, Clarence Street, Rodney Street and Leece Street.
There is a secondary diversion route for motorists on Renshaw Street who have missed the advanced diversion signs on Berry Street: Copperas Hill, Seymour Street, London Road and Lime Street.
Access to St John’s Shopping Centre car park is unaffected.
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