TJ's in Newport building 'dangerous'

The authority told the Argus it has taken enforcement and legal action on the owners of the old TJ’s building due to the dangerous state it has been left in.

Plans are in place to convert the site, former home of the legendary nightclub, into an EasyHotel, and in February scaffolding appeared around the building.

However, the council has said the scaffolding was set up after its building control team gave the owners a ‘dangerous structure’ notice under Section 77 of the Building Act 1984 Dangerous Buildings.

The notice requires stone balustrades on the front façade of the building to be removed and stored, and for other loose material on the building which could pose a risk to be removed.

The council also said repairs needed to be made to the roof.

The council also said the current owners have appealed against a Listed Building Enforcement Notice. These notices are served when works are carried out to a listed building without consent, and are considered to affect the building's character.

The council said the owners are also appealing a Maintenance of Land (Section 215) notice which requires them to ‘clean up the land’.

Once a decision has been made, the council’s planning officers will then consider their next steps.

Planning permission was granted in 2019 for the building to be turned into an EasyHotel.

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It is a fall from grace for the building – which was popular with local gig-goers and bands and attracted a wide international audience during the 1980s and 90s. Acts including Oasis, The Manic Street Preachers, Green Day, Hole, The Offspring, Iron Maiden, Muse and Misfits have performed there.

It is also rumoured that Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain proposed to wife Courtney Love when her band Hole performed at the venue - but this rumour is unsubstantiated.

Newport City Council’s statement in full on TJ’s reads: “Newport City Council has taken enforcement and legal action on a number of occasions to tackle issues with this privately-owned property.

“Scaffolding was erected after the council’s building control team served a dangerous structure notice on the owners (Section 77 of the Building Act 1984 Dangerous Buildings). This required stone balustrades on the front façade to be removed and stored. Other loose material that posed a risk is also to be removed and repairs carried out to the roof.

“Planning officers are waiting the decision of an appeal by the current owners to Planning Environment Decision Wales against a Listed Building Enforcement Notice and a Section 215 Notice before deciding the next steps.”

EasyHotel declined to comment.