Great Yarmouth showed it was back in business, as people flocked to the town over the weekend, despite Friday's devastating inferno.
The recovery process began on Saturday as demolition teams arrived to start knocking down the Regent Superbowl and indoor market place which was destroyed by the seven-hour blaze.Just 24 hours after the fire the resort was as busy as ever, with scores of people visiting the shops and enjoying the warm weather on the beach, like any other summer weekend in the town.The shock is still felt in the community, however, with a constant stream of crowds peering through the fences which cordoned off the historic building, in Regent Road, to look at the remains. Michael Taylor-Sheene, 33, from Yarmouth, said: 'It's shocking to see a building I have visited so many times just a black piece of debris.'Obviously everyone is interested to see what is going on with the building but I think we have a very strong tight-knit community here who won't let a tragedy beat us and we will continue to go on like we always do.'Sheila Murphy, 63, also from Yarmouth, said: 'I just feel really bad for the people who worked at the bowling alley and the traders.'It is the summer holidays and we need to carry on and enjoy ourselves but I do spare a thought that they will be able to get back into work soon.'The bowling alley was the oldest in the country still in use, while there were around 40 different stalls within the indoor market place.Traders at the market lost all of their stock, and many are believed to be uninsured. They are now waiting to see whether they will be able to operate from a different premises.Great Yarmouth Borough Council said work had been completed on Saturday to make the site structurally safe and to allow firefighters in the ground floor to dampen hot spots over the weekend.There was also work yesterday to clear debris from the top of nearby buildings.It said following expert advice, material containing asbestos would now need to be cleared from the site.It is hoped that this week the area around the building will be made safe, but for now a cordon remains around the site.An investigation into the cause is ongoing.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here