Council Warns Landlords To Check their Buildings

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Following death in Battersea Rise caused by falling masonry

The council is urging shops, restaurants and other businesses in the borough to make sure that regular safety checks are conducted on the fabric of their buildings following an incident in which a restaurant customer was killed by falling masonry lon 10th August.

The 27-year–old man was outsideaward winning Le Bouchon in Battersea Rise when a piece of decorative brickwork came away from the building and struck him.

The cause of the incident will now be investigated on behalf of the coroner. The area where the incident occurred was not affected in any way by the disturbances in Clapham Junction town centre earlier this week.

In the wake of last night’s incident, the council is now urging local business to make sure that whoever owns their premises conducts proper checks to make sure the building is safe.

Strategic planning spokesman Cllr Russell King said:
“This was a tragic incident that underlines the importance of all property owners making sure that their buildings are properly maintained and do not pose a risk to the public.  Businesses in particular need to make sure that their landlord carries out regular checks on the condition of their properties so that they can see if any defects have developed.

“This is particularly important for businesses like pubs, bars and restaurants which have customers sitting or standing outside their buildings for prolonged periods of time. Commercial property owners need to employ structural engineers or surveyors to periodically inspect their buildings. This should not cost a great deal of money and it will enable these owners to quickly spot any problems and immediately remedy them.”