Urgent work to repair Carlisle’s derelict Central Plaza hotel put a £900,000 dent in last year’s city council budget.

Although it does not own the historic building, Carlisle City Council was left to pick up the bill for emergency safety works earlier this year.

Victoria Viaduct was closed for weeks in May and June while the extensive repairs were carried out - without which it would have posed a danger to the public.

The grade II listed former hotel is technically ownerless, having been left to fall into a state of disrepair.

It was transferred to the Crown Estate, but it is not responsible for repairs due to a complicated legal process.

As a result, it was the city council which had to fund the urgent safety work - with no owner to recoup these costs from.

Carlisle City Council’s executive said it is eventualities like this that have prompted it to further bolster reserves in the 2019/20 budget.

Leader Colin Glover said: “It has cost us heading towards £900,000 so far, with no help from Government, despite our pleas. We don’t own it.”

The council is currently marketing the building on behalf of the Crown Estate, in the hope a developer can be found to take on the eyesore building.

There are hopes it will revitalise this part of the city - and ensure the authority is not left to pay for future repairs.

The closure also wreaked havoc on businesses – with many forced to close or relocate for weeks.