Following a structural survey of the museum building on Church Street today, the Council will be taking a number of actions to ensure the safety of residents, pedestrians, museum visitors and staff.
An engineer has assessed the building and advised that the ceiling of the museum poses a risk to staff and visitors. We have therefore agreed with the Isles of Scilly Museum that they should close the premises to the public until it can be made safe.
The inspection also revealed that the balconies on the museum flats are unsafe. Tenants are being advised not to use their balconies and the pavement in front of the building will be closed until further notice.
The Council is working with local builders to install temporary support structures to stabilise affected areas of the building. Once we have received the full engineer’s report we will assess what options are available to ensure the safety of residents and the public.
Chairman of Council, Cllr Robert Francis, said: “It is obviously very unfortunate that these actions have been necessary as they are disruptive to residents, visitors and the museum. We must, however, put people’s safety first and the Council will look to address the issues with the museum building as a matter of urgency.”