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Kirkby Lonsdale fire: Meeting to discuss recovery strategy

by Cumbria Crack
07/01/2025
in Latest, News
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A meeting to discuss a recovery strategy for Kirkby Lonsdale following a devastating fire in the town will be held next week.

The event will be held on Tuesday January 14 at the Lunesdale Hall on Bective Road, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

Over 100 residential properties and 84 business properties were directly impacted in the fire on December 8. One man died and another person was injured.

Residents, businesses and visitors are invited to the meeting for a further chance to ask questions, receive updates and discuss how the community can work together to recover from the devastating fire.

The meeting will have a focus on highways issues and working together on a recovery strategy.

Picture: Penrith Fire Station

A meeting for businesses has been arranged by MP Lizzi Collinge MP seeking views on the long-term economic recovery plan for the town.

It will be held at Kirkby Lonsdale Rugby Club on January 17 between 2pm and 4pm. All businesses welcome. 

Westmorland & Furness Council said its officers will now work with the Community Recovery Partnership to develop a town recovery strategy, which will focus on economic, community and humanitarian/welfare.

The three key aims of Kirkby Lonsdale recovery are: 

  • To support the community to rebuild their lives and find their own personal paths to recovery. This includes supporting residents and businesses to access financial support, to move and settle into new homes and business premises and to provide ongoing emotional and wellbeing support.   
  • To facilitate community and business led recovery, creating a partnership between the council, residents, businesses, the voluntary and community sector, local elected members, the local MP and key stakeholders. 
  • To work with the community and businesses to co-develop recovery plans for the two core elements of recovery – community and economy. The plans will identify the opportunities and actions for longer term regeneration, economic development, and community resilience. 

Updates 

Highways/infrastructure 

  • Market Street has now reopened to pedestrians but due to the scaffolding encroaching the highway, the road is not suitable for vehicles and remains closed to all vehicles, including for access.  
  • Work on site: Site work has not yet been completed. These will continue to secure the damaged buildings, until such time that the site can be handed back to the building owners. Contractors are waiting for a drier spell to finish off these essential building works to ensure public safety. 
  • Mitchelgate is open – but only open ONE WAY – so people are urged to drive with care and follow the diversions and signs.

There are continuing issues with vehicles travelling the wrong way up Mitchelgate and vehicles travelling the wrong way down Main Street then vehicles meeting head on. 

Police have received multiple reports of drivers deliberately driving against the one-way system, with a particularly concerning incident which involved a vehicle travelling the wrong way and mounting the pavement directly in front of a family using the pavement. 

Cumbria Constabulary is encouraging people who have witnessed or captured images of dangerous or careless driving to submit dashcam and other footage.

  • Mill Brow is now open to light goods vehicles and pedestrians. 

A one-way traffic and weight restrictions to 3.5 tonnes is in place from the end of Ruskin Drive through Horse Market and up to the top of Mill Brow to enable a circulation of local traffic to take place as safely as possible. 

Exemptions to the restrictions for emergency service vehicles will be included to ensure they have access to properties and they are able to pass the Spar and line up in the wider turning head to get down Mill Brow.

  • Parking bays on Main Street are suspended and coned off to deter vehicles from circling repeatedly to try and access one of a few usually available limited waiting parking spaces. 

Parking 

Following discussions with the community in the immediate aftermath, Westmorland & Furness Council is offering free parking in its car parks – New Road 1, New Road 2 and Market Square – until January 14 to help support residents affected and trade in the town. 

Booths has agreed to extend the temporary unrestricted parking in Wellington Court, adjacent to the A65 and before the Lunesdale Surgery (with the exception of the specified staff parking bays) until the end of January, when it will be reviewed.

This does not apply to the Booths main store car park, which remains one hour free with an option to purchase a second hour as normal. The Lunesdale Surgery parking is for patients of the doctor’s surgery only.

Kirkby Lonsdale Fire Disaster Recovery Appeal 

At the request of the Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership, Cumbria Community Foundation launched the Kirkby Lonsdale Fire Disaster Recovery Appeal to help support the immediate and long-term recovery of people affected by the fire.    

The appeal launched with a donation of £50,000 from Westmorland and Furness Council and has so far raised around £87,300.

It is focused on individual hardship caused by the fire and will broadly support the following: 

  • People who have lost their homes and possessions to the fire and been displaced, and  
  • People who are suffering hardship due to business closure linked to the fire and the loss of income to their households.  
  • If funds allow, community recovery activities 

To donate to the fund, visit https://cumbriafoundation.enthuse.com/cf/kirkby-lonsdale-fire-disaster-recovery-appeal/ 

To find out more about the fund, visit https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/kirkby-lonsdale-fire-disaster-recovery-fund/ 

The initial application round for immediate grants has now closed and CCF are now reviewing applications and making payments. Seventy applications are being processed and distributed. 

An online fundraiser set up by Lunesdale Hall (Institute) charitable trust working with Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership and Cumbria Community Foundation has closed. 

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