Read the most recent update of our investigation so far HERE.

Yesterday afternoon, Royal Mail sent contractors to 41 Albert Road, the Deco Cafe building. They installed a canopy designed to protect the public from falling concrete.

This comes after a large block dislodged from the building's first floor lintel in December 2020. The cafe's manager, Debra Lock, has been demanding such action be taken for six months.

However, Mrs Lock was exasperated to find that the contractors had installed the canopy in what she believes to be the "wrong place". The canopy is situated beneath the area of lintel already fixed by contractors last month.

For reasons laid out in our investigation, Mrs Lock and others - including an architect, surveyor and contractor - are highly concerned that a different area of the concrete band (above the doorway) is going to fail and potentially kill a passerby.

The contractors who arrived yesterday initially told Nub News that they can only perform tasks written on their job sheet.

But according to Mrs Lock, they eventually agreed to return on Monday to install another canopy beneath the area of concern.

"I just can't deal with it any more," said Mrs Lock. "Even the contractors said how stupid it is to put a canopy on the side that's fixed and not the side that is still unsafe."

Mrs Lock had hoped to be able to reopen when restrictions on indoor hospitality are lifted on Monday 17 May. She says this will not be possible even after the new canopy is installed.

"I will not open until I know it's safe," she said. "The only thing the canopy does is deflect the render if it falls. Apparently a structural engineer will take a look on the 24th."