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New bid to demolish saved bus shelter

Owen SennittNorfolk
Jack Maclean/BBC A man standing inside the Sheringham Bus Shelter which has a painted train mural on the inside of it. He is looking directly at the camera and is wearing a pink beanie, with a yellow fluorescent hi-vis vest. He is holding a paper sign which says SOS SAVE OUR SHELTER.Jack Maclean/BBC
Protesters staged a nine-day sit-in last December to protect the bus shelter

A 1950s bus shelter saved from demolition after opponents staged a sit-in protest is facing the threat of being razed again.

The structure in Sheringham's Station Approach was due to be knocked down as part of a travel improvement scheme, but it was saved in December after a fiercely fought campaign.

A compromise to only demolish about half of the building was agreed, but now Sheringham Town Council is reviewing this. The saga has already cost the council £20,000.

An emergency meeting on Tuesday will decide the fate of the shelter, with an officer recommending reverting back to the original scheme and knocking it down completely.

Robby West/BBC Metal fencing outside the Sheringham bus shelter where campaigners have been gathered. In the foreground of the picture is a police officer. The picture has been taken over the officer's shoulder who is wearing police uniform and a hat.Robby West/BBC
A police officer watched on as protesters gathered inside the boarded-up bus shelter last year

Norfolk County Council workers downed tools and stopped proceeding with the government-funded project after town councillors withdrew support in December.

The land is owned by the town council, which is a key gateway into the resort and it is located next to the North Norfolk Railway.

The original scheme aimed to make improvements to the Station Approach area, known as Otterndorf Green, by demolishing the concrete bus shelter and building a new one to make accessibility improvements, such as widening pavements.

According to a Sheringham Town Council report, the county council said it would return to the site and could finish the original scheme early next year, if town councillors voted for this on Tuesday.

Jack Maclean/BBC The Sheringham bus shelter - a red brick structure with a solid canopy which has a painted mural of a train inside of it. It has open entrances at either end and an open space in the middle, which has a bicycle resting on it.Jack Maclean/BBC
The shelter, close to the North Norfolk Railway, currently features pictures of steam trains by local artist Colin Seal

A decision is needed by Friday for work to restart in early March, otherwise it could be stalled until late 2027 or beyond.

The town council's finance officer has said this is the most financially sound option, costing only £3,950.

Michelle Baron, the town council clerk, said the review followed the council finding the cost of modifying the shelter was "substantially higher" than originally anticipated — about £49,000.

Knocking it down and rebuilding it brick-by-brick nearby would cost about £100,000.

Council counts costs

The council claimed the decision to stop the original scheme had cost it about £20,000 already and it has had wider implications for the town.

Bus services have been blocked from using the Station Approach bus stop and have instead been temporarily using a stop on Cromer Road.

The council's finance officer said in a report: "The wish of some to retain the old shelter building needs to be balanced against the impacts this is having on businesses, residents, visitors and the more vulnerable people in our society."

The town council has also dismissed descriptions of the shelter as being "Art Deco" in design, calling it "misinformation".

Baron added that councillors and office staff had suffered online abuse from people over the dispute.

A group of people sit in portable chairs inside a bus shelter with a mural of a steam train on the wall.
Protesters set up camp inside the bus shelter in Station Approach

The renewed threat of demolition has sparked criticism from campaign groups.

The Sheringham Travel & Safety Partnership, which opposed the plans for full demolition, said in a statement: "Sheringham Town Council are in danger of being perceived here as the very antithesis of democracy and effectively making a mockery of their own electorate."

The town council will meet on Tuesday at 19:00 BST at Sheringham Community Centre to make a decision on the shelter.

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