Demolish dangerous eyesore, say residents

Maple Mill after the weekend blaze

Maple Mill should be demolished because it is a dangerous eyesore and a magnet for vandals, according to residents.

Their comments came after fire-fighters spent nearly two days battling a blaze at the Cardwell Street site — the latest of several fires over the past few years.

Hathershaw residents, who did not wish to be named, say they are “sick of looking at the eyesore” owned by Kitchens boss Vance Miller.

A Wildbrook Crescent resident suspected children were to blame for the weekend mayhem, after witnessing some using cigarette lighters to set fire to leaves on her street on Thursday night.

“It was probably the same children again on Saturday,” she said.

“The fire wasn’t as bad as in 2009, though. I was evacuated for two days and I had a baby at the time.

“If that’s supposed to be a listed building, then why is it still in the state it’s in?”

Another resident said: “I think the building needs to be pulled down. Vance Miller could easily rebuild a factory on the same site if he wanted to. Why have that great big eyesore just standing there — all the windows are broken. The place looks like Beirut.”

Mr Miller was unavailable for comment.


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