Demolished wall still waiting to be rebuilt

Aug 9 2006 Wirral News

AN INSURANCE firm has been accused of damaging Port Sunlight's picture postcard appearance - by taking too long to fix a wall.

Part of the perimeter wall of the Bridge Inn pub on Bolton Road was demolished in December last year after a car accident.

The driver's insurance company, Norwich Union, accepted liability forthe incident and agreed to pay for the wall to be repaired.

But licensees at the pub are furious that the "eyesore" has still not been repaired nine months after the accident.

Helen Garner, who has run the Bridge Inn for seven years with her husband Peter, said: "It looks unsightly and it's an eyesore.

"It makes it look as if we'renot interested in the way the pub looks and there are loose bricks which are a danger to kids.

"We've had a quote of £2,100 to fix the wall and the insurance company say it should cost £1,800 - they want us to pay the difference.

"They don't seem to appreciate this is a conservation area and the wall has to be exactly right - if it's not they'll have to come back and do it all again."

Local councillor Steve Niblock wrote an angry letter to Norwich Union demanding they resolve the problem.

He said: "In such a special place as Port Sunlight it is not acceptable for the delay to the repair of the wall to be left so long.

"The church next door is used for many weddings and the Bridge Inn hosts many receptions .

"They have to walk past a pile of bricks that have been piled up since last December. This is a blight on the couple's 'happy day'."

Norwich Union said Cllr Niblock's complaint had been passed to their area manager and an investigation had been launched.