RESIDENTS forced to leave their homes in Worcester at short notice after a fire inspection revealed dangerous cladding have received a temporary accommodation reprieve.
Shelter for the residents evacuated from Barbourne Works in Northwick Avenue has now been extended until Tuesday (June 17).
FirstPort, the company appointed by Resident Management Company (RMC) to run the building, has agreed to fund an extra night in hotels as a gesture of goodwill, though the company maintains it does not accept liability.
This news follows a well-attended resident-led meeting held on Sunday June 9, where spokespeople updated the group, shared key information, and discussed next steps.
The mood was determined and collaborative, with residents expressing pride in how the community has come together in the face of uncertainty.
While the extension offers short-term relief, concerns remain. Residents staying with friends and family remain unsupported, and those booked into hotels by FirstPort have not received meals — unlike those placed by the council. With food costs mounting, many are finding the situation increasingly difficult to manage.
Worcester City Councillor Jessie Jagger, who has been assisting residents, said “I’m glad that FirstPort has done the right thing by extending accommodation while the question of liability remains unresolved. What’s been truly inspiring is how residents have come together – a group of highly educated, motivated, and well-organised individuals supporting one another through an incredibly difficult time. They deserve answers, and they deserve better.”
Residents are now calling for a formal public forum where the companies involved – including FirstPort, Wallace Partnership Group, and Simarc – can respond to their questions on the public record.
Fifty two adults and eight children had to be cleared out of Barbourne Works suddenly last week, finding themselves in need of somewhere to stay.
First Port said concerns related to defects from when the former factory was converted 20 years ago.
Simon Cusack, group commander at Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service explained issues were “essentially down to cladding” – a combination of timber cladding and an aluminium composite material, both of which were flammable.
The fire service also said there were concerns about residents getting out safely, if a fire broke out.
Worcester City Council acted quickly to open a rest centre at Perdiswell Leisure Centre on the night of the evacuation.
