DORCHESTER’S mayor is urging authorities to act “as quickly as possible” to clean up a street and carry out structural surveys to allow the area to fully reopen after it was ravaged by a fire.

A fire devastated the Gorge Café building on South Street in the town on December 12, which caused the building to collapse.

The fire spread to two adjacent buildings, and a cordon was put in place in front of the affected buildings as they are still at risk of collapse.

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More of the Grade II listed building collapsed further, prompting South Street to stay shut until the area was made safe.

Mayor of Dorchester, councillor Robin Potter, is now appealing for the structural surveys to be carried out and debris removed to allow a pedestrian link to be created so businesses can recover.

“The fire at the Gorge Café has caused significant disruption to those traders at the bottom end of South Street and Hardye Arcade,” he said.

“Safety is, of course, paramount, and the need for the extended barriers across the road was demonstrated just recently when the chimney and gable end of the building collapsed in the recent winds.

“However, I would urge all parties to act as quickly as possible to complete the structural surveys and remove the debris so as to enable a pedestrian link to be opened up sooner rather than later.

“It is vital for those businesses who are unable to access their shops to be able to do so soon, it is vital that those traders in Hardye Arcade can have the boarding removed so as to allow access between South Street and the car park, and it is vital for all of the other shop owners that operate from the bottom of South Street that they are once again connected with the rest of the shopping area.”

Dorchester Fire Station said no one was injured in the fire.