UK: Asbestos delays the reopening of a pub

Asbestos delays the reopening of a pub

Liverpool, Merseyside, UK – One of the city’s oldest pubs has been temporarily closed due to the discovery of asbestos.

In February, asbestos was found in the basement kitchen of Thomas Rigby’s during renovation work that was scheduled to last two weeks. Workers were removing a stud wall and three false ceilings when they discovered the hazardous substance.

Fiona Watkin, who became the building’s landlady five years ago, said she didn’t know when it was installed, but its purpose must have been to protect the pub’s wooden beams in the event of a fire. Asbestos was widely used in buildings in the late 19th and early 20th century because of its abilities to resist heat, electrical and chemical damage. However, in the mid 1980s Britain banned its used in buildings after research showed that exposure to asbestos led to terminal illnesses.

Rigby’s has been sealed off ever since workers uncovered the asbestos, and professional contractors have been hired to contain and remove the substance. The pub has relocated next door to the former Courtyard restaurant building which is owned by the same company that owns Rigby’s.

Ms. Watkins sadly noted that business has decreased due to the move to a smaller space but was thankful the pub had somewhere to go.

Rigby’s staff and patrons have been reassured that the risk of exposure is very low because the asbestos fibers, which only cause damage if inhaled or swallowed, had always been covered up and left undisturbed.

The pub is expected to reopen its door on May 20 after all the scheduled renovation work is completed.

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