A former bar in Hale village is in danger of collapse after large cracks appeared in the building overnight.
The three-storey building on Ashley Road, which dates back to the early 1900s, has been boarded up for the last two years having most recently been occupied by Atticus bar.
Local residents say they first noticed cracks on the rear of the building about 48 hours ago but they significantly worsened overnight with the arrival of high winds from Storm Eowyn.
Police cordoned off the scene at around 8.30am this morning and local businesses, including Mouse House Print Shop and The Knot hair salon, have been required to close.
Staff and structural engineers from Amey and Trafford Council have been at the scene surveying the damage, and it's understood that a controlled demolition of the damaged part of the building will have to take place.
The building was sold in January 2024 and the new owners secured planning permission from Trafford Council the same month to carry out building work in order that it could be reopened as a new private medical practice.
The work has involved the erection of a rear extension to the basement and ground floor level.
A deisgn and access statement lodged on the Trafford Council planning application portal states that the work would "retain the existing shop front main entrance and provide a separate staff entrance & fire exit on the side elevation facing onto Bath Place".
It added: "The internal spaces should include for at least 4No. Consultation Rooms, a Reception Area & Waiting Room, Counselling Room, new accessible WC/Shower area, Education Suite, Managers Office & Admin Office."
The work also required the removal of the existing commercial kitchen at the rear basement floor level to provide for a lower ground floor landscaped courtyard at the rear of the property.
Hannah Spencer, Green Party councillor for Hale, said she had been down to the scene this morning but that there was currently no time frame for the work that needed to be done to stabilise the area.
She said: "We've been out to assess the situation and have met with staff and
structural engineers from Amey and Trafford Council.
"Affected residents nearby are in the process of being contacted and evacuated where necessary. Once the risks have been assessed there is the potential for
one lane of traffic to reopen on Ashley Road but we do not have a time
frame. Work is limited at this stage because of high winds.
"The council are keeping us updated and we will share more with residents as soon as we are made aware. We are thankful to the emergency services and council staff for dealing with this promptly and ensuring residents are kept safe."
Dan and Sally Germain, who own the Mouse House Print Shop, a neighbouring business which has been shut by the incident, said the drama started at around 7am this morning.
"I opened the window and it was a case of 'flipping 'eck'!" said Dan.
"It had gone really bad overnight. I phoned the police at about 7.30 because there were little kids with their parents walking past. I told the police to hurry up and stood out there stopping people, saying you might want to walk round. They put the fences up at about half 8."
The Germains added that they had not been told when they might be able to regain entry to their business.
