Runners taking part in the Great North 10k will face a "slightly" different route due to the partial closure of the Central Motorway.
The northbound carriageway of the Central Motorway has remained closed since the fire broke out at Carliol Square, and is expected to stay shut until next week as the fire has severely impacted the structural integrity of the building.
This means it will not be re-opened in time for the Great North 10k which is due to take place on Sunday, July 2.
READ MORE: Newcastle Central Motorway to remain closed as five teens arrested after suspected arson attack
A Newcastle City Council spokesman said they have worked with organisers to slightly reroute the run to make sure it can take place.
He added: “We understand that the closure of the Northbound section of the Central Motorway is causing delays for commuters in and out of the city, however our priority is public safety and the road needs to remain closed until we are confident the site poses no risk to the public.
“Our thanks go to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue for their swift response to deal with the fire on Wednesday evening and also to Northumbria Police for their support in managing the site and the surrounding area.
“We are working closely with both the police and the building owner to secure the structure of the building in order for the road to be fully opened as soon as possible.
"This re-opening is not likely to be possible before the Great North Run 10k and we have worked with the event team to slightly re-route the run to ensure it can still take place.
“We would like to thank the public for their continued understanding. We are all working as quickly as possible to make the area safe to allow for the road to be re-opened.”
After running through the southbound tunnel under 55 Degrees North runners will cross the Tyne Bridge on the Northbound carriageway, they will turn anti-clockwise and cross back over on the Southbound Carriageway, taking the slip road on to Manors roundabout before re-joining the original planned route on Market Street. The event will remain a 10km distance.
A spokesman for the AJ Bell Great North 10K said: "We’re aware that a fire in Carliol Square on Wednesday has resulted in the closure of the Northbound carriageway of the A167 Central Motorway, which forms part of the AJ Bell Great North 10k route.
"As a result of the continued road closure, we are announcing a small change to the event route, however it will remain a 10km distance.
"We would like to thank the emergency services and Newcastle City Council for their support in ensuring the event can go ahead as planned.
"We’re still looking forward to a fantastic event on Sunday with over 4,500 runners set to take on the challenge and experience a route that features some of Newcastle’s most iconic landmarks.
Northumbria Police are treating the cause of the fire as suspected arson at this time and five people aged between 13 and 16 have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation.
