A Liverpool landlady has released videos and photographs which she claims shows the 'nightmare' conditions inside Grand Central Hall.
Maureen Bramwell, who ran several bars inside the Renshaw Street venue, is now in dispute with her landlords Nextdom. Ms Bramwell, 69, owes around £1.2m in unpaid rent.
She claims the rent relates to the lockdown when she was unable to trade. A spokesman for Nextdom said that Ms Bramwell was behind with her rent prior to the pandemic and she should have accepted the assistance offered by the government during lockdown to help her pay the rent.
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Nextdom also said that Ms Bramwell signed the lease in 'full awareness' of the building's condition. Ms Bramwell has also told the ECHO that her time at Grand Central Hall was blighted by flooding and water ingress.
She said the conditions were a 'nightmare.' A video clip released to the ECHO shows the ceiling at Nelly Foley's bar in Grand Central Hall appearing to collapse.
Other clips and pictures show flooding, mould and dry rot in other parts of the building. Ms Bramwell claims the problems related to the poor condition of the dome, which had a tree and a vegetation growing in it.
She said: "The dome area was the root of the problem. The tree and vegetation allowed water to seep through every inch of the building."
Ms Bramwell shared a report she commissioned into the building completed by damp surveyors North West Damp Detectives.
The report, completed last September, reads: "Most of the internal damage is due to water penetration and unless the external building is maintained the internal damage will continue and will cause the building to deteriorate to such an extent that the water ingress could make the structure weak and may be deemed unsafe.
"The vegetation growth is especially severe over the dome which has many plants and vegetation growing into the brickwork and stonework along with many other areas of the external brickwork which also has vegetation growing into the brickwork causing water to penetrate the building structure."
The report continues: "Dry rot and mould growth is rife in the building and the fruiting body of the dry rot can be seen in many places , the wood within the building is being affected and unless the dry rot is treated and removed the deterioration will continue at pace."
And the report warns that there was the potential for a serious accident. It reads: "The collapse of any wood roof or floor joist could be a possibility which could cause some major incidents if the structure was unsupported and if the building was in use at the time members of the public could be seriously injured if any section collapsed."
Maureen opened the Liffey Bar inside Grand Central in 2017. The following year she signed a lease, and launched Bar Racine, Nelly Foleys and Smokey Mo's.
A spokesman for NextDom said: "The tenant signed the lease for the building in full awareness of the building’s condition and full knowledge, following legal advice and as an experienced company director, that she would be responsible under the terms of the lease for the building’s maintenance and repair within her demise.
"In terms of my client’s building survey, Ms Bramwell is fully aware that the report’s recommendations were enacted and that her management team were in contact with the contractors directly.
If Grand Central Hall was a ‘nightmare’, as claimed, why has Ms Bramwell made repeated attempts to purchase the property and, as an alternative, to extend her lease occupancy?
In the period from October 1 2021 to December 31 2021 my client is aware of 29 events being held and since January 23 2022 and March 27 2022 it is aware of a further 23 events being held. Photographic evidence on-line shows busy venues trading strongly. What responsible bar operator would host that number of events in a ‘nightmare building.'"
