Council takes further action against derelict pub owners

Owners of a derelict pub in Stretford have been prosecuted for a second time after ignoring Trafford Council’s instructions to repair the building.

Director of Manchester Developments Ltd, Ali Zolghadriha, pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates Court on 24 July for continuing to fail to comply with an untidy land notice served by Trafford Council requiring improvements to the former Robin Hood Hotel site in Barton Road, Stretford.

Manchester Developments Ltd was fined £18,200 while Mr Zolghadriha was fined a further £18,200 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 plus prosecution costs of £1,690, bringing the total amount payable by him to £21,890.

Officers from the Council first served the notice in 2024 because the unkempt land and building were causing harm to the character and appearance of the local area.

Under the notice, Manchester Developments Ltd was required to undertake maintenance work, including repairing damaged windows and broken slates on the roof.

In August that year, Manchester Developments Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notice and was ordered to pay £1,635 in fines and costs.

The condition of the pub, which has been closed since 2018, deteriorated further after a fire at the vacant building in June this year and the repairs had still not been made, leading to the second prosecution.

Magistrates heard that plans had been submitted to the Council to convert and redevelop of the site to provide housing. The application remains under consideration. The planning application does not remove the requirement to comply with the original notice, which remains in force unless formally withdrawn.

Cllr Liz Patel, Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration at Trafford Council, said:

"Companies that own land and property have a responsibility to keep their sites tidy and in good repair. Failure to do so can be damaging and dangerous, often causing an eyesore and attracting anti-social behaviour.
 

"Despite our prosecution in 2024, the required work was not carried out and the site remained in a poor condition. The fire at the vacant building in June this year brought renewed public attention to the property and highlighted the importance of ensuring that prominent sites are properly maintained.
 

"The Council always seek to work constructively with owners to achieve compliance, but where notices are ignored, we will not hesitate to take further enforcement action."