More than 1,000 fire safety inadequacies have been found in a high-rise business hub. Brighton and Hove City Council said it was forced to close New England House at short notice after a fire safety report uncovered “intolerable” safety risk within the building. Businesses in the building, in New England Street, Brighton , say they are losing thousands of pounds in revenue every day as the busy Christmas period looms.
But the council said the closure was “difficult but necessary”. A spokeswoman said "compartmentation" of the building had been a significant issue, with more than 1,000 inadequacies discovered. Other issues include a lack of fire protection on staircases which would pose serious risks if the façade of the building were to fail in the event of a fire.
Current fire detection does not cover all of the necessary areas in the building either, the report found. Councillor Jacob Taylor, cabinet member for finance and city regeneration, said: “I want to offer the council’s sincerest apology to all those affected. This is not a decision the council took lightly or without consideration for the tenants.
“However, given the information we received from the fire engineer’s report, it was a difficult yet necessary action to keep people safe. Business owners outside New England House (Image: The Argus) “We completely understand the disruption, confusion and anxiety this temporary closure has caused. “The council remains dedicated to supporting the tenant.