Updated 3 May 2024
 

Burn Bullock, the historic Grade II listed building in London Road, Mitcham suffered a devastating fire on Friday 19 April 2024.

London Fire Brigade fought for three hours to bring the fire under control. Police and Merton Council officers worked throughout the evening to make the area safe.

Council officers helped secure emergency accommodation for the occupants and provided food and clothing. The council continues to help those who continue to need support.

Current condition

The fire caused extensive damage and is too dangerous for officers to enter the site to determine the nature of the investigation surrounding the fire.

However, officers from across all agencies are working round the clock to make sure the building is secure.

The police have asked external specialists to provide the highly skilled surveying and engineering expertise needed to start making the building safe enough to begin an investigation.

These specialists made their first inspection yesterday (Monday 29 April). They will set out the safety measures needed that will allow the investigating authorities to enter and check the property.

Police have maintained a round-the-clock presence at the site to preserve the scene if it is determined a crime has taken place.

Authorities ask that people refrain from speculating publicly about the cause of the fire in order to ensure the fairness of the police work that may need to take place.

Medium-term

It is the legal duty of the owners to pay for the safety of the building. The council is in contact with the owners and is seeking legal help to extract the costs in securing the building longer-term. While that takes place, secure hoardings will be erected to maintain the integrity of the site. The council will be reaching out to the community for input into how those hoardings will look.

Longer-term

The council recognises the huge significance and legacy of Burn Bullock. The council met with Historic England last week to discuss next steps in preserving the building into the future, and how that would be undertaken.

This work is contingent on the ownership of the site. Because the site is privately owned, this severely restricts what the council is able, legally and practically, to do at this stage.

Due to the building’s Grade II Listing, restoration will be extremely costly. All options need to be carefully examined in terms of who will lead on that work.

The council knows residents and community groups have asked the council to consider a compulsory purchase order of the building. This is a legal act that compels the sale of a private building/site to a public body. This is a hugely complex action and is further complicated by the Listing status. This is something that the council has considered and will continue to consider, and it will update you in due course.

Enforcement history

Burn Bullock was shut down as a pub 15 years ago and since then, the building has fallen into disrepair.

The council has made repeated attempts, and issued legal orders, to compel the freeholders to act to repair it. However, no action was taken by the freeholder.

The council also issued a notice to cease occupancy of the building and the unauthorised business activities in the yard.

This was not complied with either; and the council was considering its next move before the fire took place.

However, agencies - including the council - carried out multiple site inspections, including last year, to try to ensure the safety and security of the building and those living in it. But, again, the agencies were unable to further intervene due to the limitation in the powers available to them.

White Hart

Many residents have expressed concerns about The White Hart, in London Road, which is another empty former pub of local significance.

The council and the police carried out an inspection of the site on Thursday 2 May and a multi-agency strategy based on the findings is currently being worked on.

However, as with Burn Bullock, the powers of the council, and its statutory partners, are limited due to its private ownership status.