FURTHER demolition work is set to start in the next few weeks on a former lap dancing bar site which was hit by fire last week.

Derelict buildings fronting Bank Street and Manor Street in Bolton town centre, including the old Diamonds strip joint, are to be torn down imminently.

A blaze broke out last Friday, at the Diamonds building, causing the town centre though road to be closed in both directions.

Six fire engines, police, and an ambulance were on the scene for over more than two hours dealing with the fire with Bolton Central crew manager, Andy Berry saying the major response was due to ‘the complexity fo the buildings’.

He added that there was ‘evidence someone was living there’ but no-one was found at the time.

The area is the site of the potential redevelopment called Church Wharf.

Bolton Council describes the £150m Church Wharf scheme as a new town centre area ‘set alongside the River Croal, providing new homes and jobs and transforming an underused piece of land into a thriving local community’.

Outlining the imminent plans to further clear the site, a spokesman for Bolton Council said: “Following a fire at a property in Manor Street on Friday, we have carried out an inspection of the building to identify any immediate safety concerns.

“Demolition of the affected property had already been scheduled for July this year as part of ongoing work to redevelop this part of the town centre.

The waterfront setting would have a mix of 352 homes, cafes, restaurants, offices and other leisure uses.

“The demolition is still on track to go ahead as planned, contractors have been appointed and security fencing has already been installed.”

In April, The Bolton News revealed ‘abysmal’ mismanagement of a demolition contract at the same site ended up costing Bolton Council £380,000 more than expected.

Councillors heard the contract for the demolition of the former Late Club and Club Ice, on Bank Street, was originally set at £395,000.

After contractors began work in May 2019, unforeseen additional work was needed to prop the banks of the River Croal and walls and the budget rose to £514,000 by February 2020.

But when the final bill arrived in June 2020, it was for £896,000.

Members of the council’s place scrutiny committee heard neither the project manager nor the contractor informed the council of the rocketing costs.

Rob Holt, a director of Robertson, which is the council’s property management partner, and were project managing the demolition, said at the time they were not aware of any problem until the same time as the council.

He said: “We now feel we have a very, very good process in place. We need this from a reputational perspective and a financial perspective as we can’t afford to let this happen again.”