It follows the owners' failure to take the action needed to make the fire-damaged site safe and enable the road to reopen.

Upper Villiers Street has remained closed since a major fire at the Grade II listed building in January 2026 due to concerns about the structural stability of the site.

The council has not received any payment towards the significant costs incurred from the road closure and extensive safety measures put in place since the fire, leaving the taxpayer to pick up the bill.

The council is not satisfied by survey reports submitted on behalf of the owners and does not consider there to be sufficient evidence at this stage to demonstrate that the building can be safely managed without the existing restrictions.

Independent surveys and assessments are being considered to establish the true condition of the site and help determine what further action is required.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, Cabinet Member for City Transport at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: "Let's be absolutely clear. The closure remains in place for one reason only: public safety.

"The council has not received a penny from the owners toward the costs that taxpayers are currently carrying as a result of this ongoing situation. We will continue to pursue those costs and explore every available avenue to recover public money.

"We are not satisfied by the reports submitted on the owners’ behalf and we do not currently have the assurances needed to conclude the building is safe. If necessary, we will commission our own specialist assessments to establish the facts.

"No responsible authority could re-open this road while there remain serious unanswered questions about the condition of a large fire-damaged building overlooking a busy public highway.

"The council has worked constructively with the owners, providing advice, support and opportunities to move matters forward. However, progress has been repeatedly delayed because the necessary information, evidence and actions required from the owners have not been provided to the standard needed.

"The suggestion that the council is responsible for the ongoing closure is simply wrong. The delays are a direct consequence of unresolved safety concerns relating to the owners’ building.

"Our priority remains protecting residents, businesses, motorists and pedestrians. We will continue to use every power available to us to bring this matter to a resolution and reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so."

The council continues to work with partner agencies, specialist consultants and local businesses affected by the closure. Public safety remains the overriding priority and the road will only reopen when specialists are satisfied the risks have been fully addressed.