Updated: Friday 17 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 work 

The fire caused extensive damage and was initially too dangerous for emergency services to enter the site. The police commissioned external specialists to establish the safety measures needed to allow investigating officers from both the police and the fire service to enter and check the property.

This investigative work was carried out last week and the police have said they will provide an update on their work at a community meeting at Vestry Hall, London Road, at 7pm on Tuesday, 21 May. 

Merton Council officers will also attend that meeting. 

An investigation remains open and anyone with any information should contact Merton Police on 101, citing CAD6702/19APR.

The landowners have been informed that the site has been returned to them and with the imminent removal of the temporary fencing that they are responsible for securing the site.

With the police presence no longer present at the site, the Council secured the building to prevent unauthorised entry on public safety grounds. It has been made clear to the landowners that the Council will seek to recover the cost of this work.

The Council has also installed CCTV in the area to deter unauthorised access.  

A full survey is now required to make the site safe and this is the responsibility of the landowners. The council will need to see and approve them before work can commence. It is the legal duty of the owners to pay for that.

The council is instructing the landowners to hoard and scaffold the site to maintain the integrity of the building and safety of the site. The Council will consider intervention if this is not done within 28 days.  

Longer-term

The council recognises the huge significance and legacy of Burn Bullock. 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.

Because the site is privately owned, this severely restricts what the council is able, legally and practically, to do at this stage.  

The landowners will require approval from the Council, in consultation with Historic England, for the permanent restoration of the building.

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 on Thursday 2 May. They discovered that the building is being occupied without proper authorisation. The Council is coordinating an enforcement response with the police and fire service to ensure the safety of those living there and to protect this building. 

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