Chester Rows danger update: 10 shops evacuated and forced to close

Feb 10 2010 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

AT LEAST 10 shops have been evacuated and forced to close in Bridge Street today (Wednesday, February 10) as work continues to prevent part of Chester’s historic Rows from collapsing.

Some of the stores have been told unofficially that it will be Saturday at the earliest before they will be allowed to reopen.

However, it is believed it may take more than a week to complete the work at the top end of Bridge Street Row after a beam above the Panasonic store was found to be in a rotten state.

The list of shops affected is: Lowe & Sons, Purely Wicked, Sayers, Panasonic, Sushi Bar, Marc Menswear, Oxfam Books & Music, Arden News, Maya jewellery store, The Principality and Beau Perry.

Grosvenor Estate, who own the building, are believed to be arranging for surveyors and structural engineers to move in to replace the wooden beam with a metal one.

The shops affected are either side of the Panasonic store on Row level, below it at street level as well as three outlets across the road.

The pedestrianised area of upper Bridge Street remains closed to pedestrians and to delivery vehicles although the Rows opposite the affected area remain open to the public.