AN AMUSEMENT arcade gutted in a blaze may be granted listed building status.

J Noble and Sons Amusements recently applied to Chester-le-Street District Council to redevelop its fire-damaged premises on the town's Front Street.

The fire took hold in the building in February this year and the efforts of 25 firefighters were needed to extinguish the ferocious blaze, which is believed to be arson.

Plans for the building's redevelopment were recommended for approval by council planners until shortly before the planning meeting, when the council withdrew the plans in order to apply for listed-building status.

Director of planning and development Tom Watson said the council decided to get the Eighteenth century building listed after speaking to English Heritage.

He said the building had been inspected by environmental health officers who felt there was no danger of the building collapsing.

He said: "Even if the building's listed, it won't prevent refurbishment, as long as the front elevation is preserved."

But the move has angered owner Jason Noble, who claims the premises are unsafe.

He says he has been left with an ever-increasing bill for the scaffolding which has been installed to make the premises safe, but cannot carry out repair work until he has heard whether the building is to be listed.

He said: "We brought in a structural engineer who seems to have done too good a job, because the building was in a dangerous condition until he put all the scaffolding in place.

"We now have bills coming in for all this scaffolding to hold it up and I've paid for architects to put together designs for the site."