A prominent councillor and former mayor has issued a stark warning that a historic listed building in Dudley town centre may have to be demolished if its ongoing decay is not urgently addressed.
A Building in Peril
At a meeting of Dudley Council's Housing and Assets Scrutiny Committee in November, former mayor Councillor David Stanley expressed serious concerns about the state of the former post office on Wolverhampton Street. The building, which dates back to 1909, is currently standing empty and deteriorating. Cllr Stanley described it as a "real eyesore" and revealed that progress on its future has been stalled, partly because he believes the owner lives abroad, possibly in Australia.
He told the committee, "If it is left much longer I think there will be no alternative other than demolition." The building holds a Grade II listed status, granted for its special architectural and historic interest, making its potential loss particularly significant.
A Troubled History and Failed Plans
The building's recent history has been marked by unfulfilled potential. It was previously used as the Nulla Nulla nightclub around ten years prior to its current state of abandonment. More recently, in 2017, it was put up for sale with planning permission already granted for the development of 21 flats. The guide price at that time was £525,000, but the planned development never proceeded, leaving the building to fall into further disrepair.
Broader Calls for Town Centre Revival
Cllr Stanley used the opportunity to urge fellow councillors, including the committee chairman Adam Davies, to take more decisive action to revitalise Dudley town centre. He argued that eyesores like the old post office act as a "big deterrent" to visitors, especially when combined with ongoing town centre works.
"We need to make it more attractive and get people back using Dudley town centre," he stated, adding that the council should work hard to ensure any of its own properties are brought back into use. In response to these concerns, Iain Wallace, Dudley's associate director of acquisitions, compliance and maintenance, committed to reporting back to the committee on the issues raised.
