Businessmen fined for failing to maintain prominent eyesore building at prominent approach to Wolverhampton

The three men were also told they will face further fines if they do not tidy the former Brewbakers building in Wolverhampton, which has been empty for more than 20 years.

The former head office of the short-lived retail chain has been derelict for more than 20 years.

The four-storey building, on a prominent approach to the city, is covered in graffiti and has broken windows.

Site owners Jagir Singh, Jaswant Singh and Kalwant Singh, all of Ednam Road, Goldthorn Hill, Wolverhampton, were found guilty at Dudley Magistrates Court of failing to comply with an enforcement notice to tidy the eyesore site.

The owners must now carry out compliance works to the building, on the approach to Wolverhampton city centre, soon or risk facing further fines.

It is part of a crackdown by the council's vacant properties taskforce to encourage owners of empty properties to properly maintain them and actively bring them back into use.

The building, which dates back to the 1950s, had been occupied by Brown Bros before it was taken over by short-lived discount retailer Brewbakers in the early 1990s.

Each defendant was fined £660 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £264 and costs of £495 – totalling £4,257.

They have been ordered to replace the boards covering the windows, repairing all damaged, missing and broken doors, remove all vegetation from the building and rubbish from the site. All graffiti must be cleaned from the doors.

The presiding magistrate considered the former Brewbakers building to be an outstanding building and should be brought back into use.

Councillor Stephen Simkins, leader of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Despite not being the owner of the site, the council is determined to see the former Brewbakers building brought back to life, so it brings jobs, opportunities and investment to Wolverhampton.

“That is exactly why my administration launched the vacant properties taskforce - to tackle dishevelled, vacant commercial properties, left by landlords to blight our streets.

“The benefits of reusing empty buildings and developing vacant sites are considerable, including the provision of new jobs and homes. It helps attract investment to an area, lifts its character and appearance, reduces anti social behaviour and can help boost the wellbeing of residents, workers and visitors."

Councillor Simkins said the taskforce had a mandate to ensure such buildings were properly maintained, and to look at ways of bringing them back into use.