The former 051 building was victim to a new fire earlier this week leaving people question why the site hasn't been redeveloped.
The distinctive building in Liverpool City Centre was formerly home to the 051 nightclub which dominated the club landscape in the 1990s and early 2000s. And since its closure the distinctive façade at the foot of Brownlow Hill and Mount Pleasant has been through a range of iterations including a cinema, paintball arena and bar.
But although the building still stands and its weathered yellow sign remains, it has fallen into disrepair and become a target for anti-social behaviour. On Tuesday, August 2 a fire ripped through the ground floor of the building causing an extensive emergency services response.
READ MORE: Thick smoke billows out former 051 nightclub as fire rips through 'troubled' building
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service raced to put out the fire in the first floor stair well. But the fire was the second to rip through the former iconic club in the past year following a fire in October 2021.
The building now looks a far cry away from what it looked like in its glory days. With a capacity for 2,000 clubbers the empty venue is one of the last iconic club buildings still standing.
The 051 closed in 2005 and became other clubs including Aura from September 2013 but was stripped out by 2016.
Former 051 DJ and Radio City presenter Lee Butler was given a rare look inside the club and recorded some incredible footage in 2020. Lee spent years in the DJ booth of the club with nearly a decade on the decks starting in October 1996.
Speaking to the ECHO in 2020, Lee said: "I've tried to get in a couple of times and every time I've noticed someone opening the shutters they wouldn't let me in. They're working on the masts in there and I was driving past and these guys shouted me saying 'Butler!' They said 'I can't believe we're going in the club and the original DJ is here'."
In a video previously shared with the ECHO, Lee captured the main dance floor with the huge disco ball still hanging overhead. Lee noted old drinks bottles still littered the floor and all the bars were still visible. He added: "It's like it's just been left."
The former VIP area was still visible and Lee offered a view down over the dancefloor. Throughout his nostalgic visit to the site, Lee said he was blown away to discover the site in "really good nick", adding "it's literally as it was left".
The last time Lee was inside the club before his visit was for a 'farewell' club night organised for fans of the 051. He said: "It was sad because it was exactly like it was. If it was really rundown and smashed up I would have felt differently but I felt sad and more upset because it was like it had closed and it was exactly the same. It was just standing still in time.
"Most of the big clubs that formed part of Liverpool's clubbing history have been knocked down so lots of these venues aren't there and we've got one sitting there which is steeped in so much history - and everyone played there. Everything about it is just so 'underground club'. It has the big industrial feel."
It's unknown what extent the two fires have had on the building but many feel it represents a sad end to the definitive Scouse nightclub. Concerns were raised to the ECHO regarding the "troubled" building.
One local worker said: "There are always things going on in the building though. "People break in and cause trouble." A second person added: "I remember the old 051 back in the day. Knock it down, build student flats there or build something for the people of Liverpool."
READ NEXT:
Man who stabbed burglar to death cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter
Concert Square sex video couple wanted by police as people urged not to share footage
Arriva bus strike heading into third week as crunch talks break down
Dad ditches house for life on the road after 'midlife crisis'
Man wanted as woman reports sexual assault on pub dance floor
