A section of Ashley Road in Hale village will be remaining closed for the foreseeable future in the wake of the partial collapse of a building this weekend.
The rear of a three-storey building on Ashley Road, which dates back to the early 1900s, crumbled over the weekend just hours after large cracks appeared on its exterior walls.
The alarm had first been raised on Friday morning, with neighbouring businesses and residents told to evacuate after it became clear that the situation was rapidly worsening - and that a collapse was imminent.
That became a reality on Saturday, with stunned onlookers watching as large parts of the building's roof and masonry came crashing to the ground, leaving the entire back section of the house exposed.
Watch the building collapse here:
Bath Place and a section of Ashley Road surrounding the building have been completely closed to cars and pedestrians since Saturday and that situation looks set to continue for some time yet while the building remains so fragile.
A spokesperson for Trafford Council has this afternoon confirmed that a full road closure will be remaining in place until a controlled demolition is able to take place.
They said: “A partial building collapse in the centre of Hale has resulted in the area being cordoned off to ensure public safety. For everyone's protection, a full road closure – for both vehicles and pedestrians – will remain in effect on a section of Ashley Road until it’s safe to reopen.
“We are working closely with the property owner while their surveyors conduct an assessment for a controlled demolition as soon as it is safe and feasible.
"Please respect the road closure and safety cordons, and allow extra time when travelling in the area. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.”
More footage of the collapse here:
The building had been most recently been occupied by Atticus bar but was sold to new owners in January 2024 for £825,000.
In the same month, the new owners had secured planning permission from Trafford Council to carry out building work in order that it could be reopened as a new private medical practice.
That work had involved the erection of a rear extension to the basement and ground floor level as the building was remodelled to include four consultation rooms, a reception and waiting room, counselling room, education suite and other rooms.
The work has evidently placed a huge strain on the building, however, and on Friday morning the appearance of several large cracks at the building's rear caused Ashley Road to be temporarily closed off and neighbouring businesses evacuated.
One hairdresser from The Knot hair salon, which adjoins the former Atticus bar, told us that police had rushed in while he was cutting a client's hair and demanded that the salon be instantly shut.
Drone footage showing the damage from above:
A scaffolding company has attached a large amount of scaffolding to the front of the building, which faces on to Ashley Road, in an attempt to at least protect that part of the building.
