Senior Wolverhampton councillor calls for action on deteriorating Beatties building
The deterioration of Wolverhampton's Beatties building could hit investors' confidence to invest in the city, a senior councillor has warned.
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Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the opposition Conservative group on Wolverhampton Council, has written to council leader Councillor Stephen Simkins, asking for the authority to 'consider all options' in safeguarding the building's future.
"This iconic structure is a cornerstone of Wolverhampton's heritage, and its stalled regeneration is a matter of significant public frustration," Councillor Bennett wrote in his letter.
This week it was revealed that the council was considering the possibility of prosecuting the owner for failing to comply with an enforcement notice to tidy the building, which has fallen into a state of disrepair since it closed four years ago.
House of Fraser, which had owned Beatties since 2005, closed the store four years ago, moving to smaller premises in the Mander Centre.
It was bought for £3 million by SSYS Beatties, owned by flamboyant solicitor Pragnesh Modhwadia, who planned to redevelop the site as apartments, while retaining retail and commercial use on the ground floor. However, the plan stalled, and Wolverhampton Council issued an enforcement notice requiring the building to be tided.
In September 2023 SSYS Beatties was placed in receivership following the collapse of Mr Modhwadia's law firm, Axiom Ince. Last month Mr Modhwadia was charged with fraud following the alleged disappearance of £64 million from Axion Ince's client funds.
