I work at Lancashire’s best building in Blackpool but we’ve had issues there

A worker at the DWP’s recently opened £100m Blackpool office which had to be evacuated this week claims the building has had a string of operational issues.

On Wednesday morning staff had to be ushered out of the Blackpool Council-owned building after a narrow piece of metal cladding on the 7th floor broke off and crashed to the pavement near the front entrance.

Employees have been kept out of the building for the rest of the week for safety reasons.

The incident came as a shock, as the new-build office was only opened in spring last year and with great fanfare, as part of a new multi- million pound regeneration development by Blackpool Council.

And the imposing seven storey block, built to accommodate 3,000 civil servants, received further positive attention when it won an architectural award in September.

However, despite the impressive aspect of the building, the employee said there have been a number of teething glitches which have combined to make the building less comfortable than expected for employees.

He says these had been plaguing the office even before Wednesday’s incident.

The worker, who asked not to be named, said: “I’m surprised there have been reports about all the issues with Blackpool’s newest office, such as temperature set at 16-17 C, toilets leaking, lifts not working and a horrendous odour which has been under investigation.

“The smell has  been dealt with – it turned out to be live plants on every floor – some have died due to the temperature and draught.”

Blackpool Council, which owns the building, was approached for comment about the evacuation and other issues but a spokesperson said it was a matter for the DWP as the building occupiers. 

DWP bosses were similarly asked to comment on the falling slat, the evacuation and reports of operational problems within the building.

A DWP spokesperson said: “The contractor is on site, and the building remains closed.

“Action will be taken over the coming days to ensure the safety of the site before staff return.”

The department said Fylde View was a DWP Service and Support Centre and therefore no customers were affected by the temporary withdrawal of staff.

It says all staff have been asked to work from home or redeployed to other sites. 

No one was hurt in Wednesday’s incident but a cordon was put around the building after the narrow strip of grey cladding – one of the ‘slats’ covering the floor to ceiling windows on the 7th floor – plunged to the ground by the main entrance. 

Fylde View was named as the best new building in Lancashire at the prestigious North West Regional Construction Awards last September. 
The seven-storey building opened last spring and was delivered by Blackpool Council, alongside nationwide developer Muse, and main contractor VINCI Building.

It was the third phase in Blackpool’s £350m redevelopment of the Talbot Gateway around the train station, which aims to bring over 8,000 professional workers and students into the town centre.