Update on when Forum and Market demolition will start
Westmorland and Furness council has given an update on when works to demolish Barrow Market and The Forum will begin.
Last updated 8th May 2026
The council has given an update on when works to demolish important cultural buildings will be started.
A decision was made to demolish The Forum and Barrow Market earlier this year by Westmorland and Furness Council following safety concerns.
The council said the buildings have asbestos and leaking issues, which led to the sudden closure of the Market in February, with the Forum having previously been closed in 2024.
A timescale for when the buildings will be demolished was given at the full council meeting at Kendal Town Hall on May 7.
Labour Councillor Frank Cassidy of Walney asked a question to the leader of the Liberal Democrat administration, councillor Jonathan Brook, about initially promised ‘bi-weekly’ updates for local members on the developments.
He said: “Why has there been only scant information coming our way during the intervening weeks and why was there silence when a contractor was chosen to demolish the Market and the Forum for a fee of up to £7.9m?"
Referring to previous reporting from the Local Demcoracy Reporting Service, he added: “And why did some of us only become informed about a decision of this magnitude when we read about it in the local paper?”
Cllr Cassidy also questioned when the works are due to start.
Cllr Brook said: “I acknowledge the commitment made and if that has fallen short, I can only apologise for that and will ensure that the position that I indicated is actually coming to fruition.”
Councillor Andrew Jarvis, deputy leader, said: “In terms of timing, there is a considerable amount of work to be done. It is for the contractor to plan the best way of undertaking this significant work, including the design and demolition."
“As you are aware, there are significant amounts of asbestos on the site, and this requires very detailed, complex work.”
He added that it would be subject to planning permission, with the application being ‘complex’.
Cllr Jarvis added: “This is going to take many months. Our current expectation is that it will be much later in the financial year before the demolition commences.”
The council’s monitoring officer added: “We will not be carrying out any physical works until we’ve secured the relevant planning and enablement surveys, which was in the report.”
She added that, in ‘three to four months time’, people may see ‘internal strip-out work’.
Councillor Les Hall of Hawcoat and Newbarns also asked who the contractor tasked with carrying out the works would be.
Cllr Jarvis confirmed it to be DSM Demolition, which is headquartered in Birmingham.