CREDITON’S county councillor has said he “wouldn't be surprised” if the wall of a former pub in Copplestone were to fall down despite the road next to it reopening. 

One of the corners of the Cross Hotel began to buckle in early August, leading to an emergency road closure which lasted around three weeks. 

Shutting one side of the one-way system on the A377 through the town meant “businesses were folding almost”, Cllr Frank Letch (Lib Dem, Crediton) told a meeting of Copplestone Parish Council on Tuesday, September 3. 

The road has since reopened after work to stabilise the wall, and scaffolding remains in place, alongside wooden panels. 

"Hopefully that's the way it will stay,” Cllr Letch said. 

“But I'm not confident that something dramatic is not going to happen at the pub, quite honestly.” 

He explained that North and Mid Devon Building Control had been negotiating with the owner and the contractors, but he had “no timetable” for the works. 

“I've had no report back so far. I've had no agreement of what's going to be done when.” 

Parish councillor Carla Shaw said she had been in communication with the owner of the pub, and assured people they would be kept informed. 

“Anything we do get is being put on Facebook pages and things as and when we've got it,” she said. 

“We're trying to keep people updated as much as we can.” 

Concerns were also raised at the meeting about the scaffolding obscuring the vision of drivers exiting Bewsley Hill past the pub onto the A377.