Collapsed chimney still hanging 10 months on
BBCA collapsed chimney is still suspended inside a building after it crashed from the roof of a barber shop last summer.
The chimney came loose on 30 July 2025 leaving a gaping hole in the roof above Bob's Barbers on Hallstile Bank in Hexham.
No-one was injured, but several homes were evacuated and the road was closed while the area was made safe.
Building Consultants Crawford Higgins Associates said delays to the repairs had been caused by factors outside of its control, including a lack of clarity over ownership, but a sale of one of the affected buildings should allow work to begin.
"The chimney remains suspended within the building," the company said.
"We were very fortunate that no-one was injured at the time of the collapse and it is essential that this remains the case."
It said progress on the repairs relied on approval from third parties, including insurance firms, which had been dealing with "complex ownership and liability matters".
It also claimed work to properties at numbers 5 and 7 could not go ahead until properties 1 and 3 had been made safe and the gable wall was rebuilt.
"We understand that the sale of the former ex-servicemen's club is now the final step," Crawford Higgins Associates said.
"We have been advised that this is progressing positively and hope that completion is imminent, which will allow works to move forward."
