Exeter restaurant owner told his ceiling could collapse

The reopening of an Exeter restaurant has been delayed after it was discovered that the ceiling was at risk of collapse. The owner has hit out at the council, saying his staff and customers were put at risk.

La Lola on Fore Street has been closed since September, after owner Francisco Montes launched a scathing attack on the police and the council for their handling of violence and anti-social behaviour outside the premises. He said he had suffered threats and even been attacked on multiple occasions in the year that the restaurant had been open. He has been displaying a large sign in the restaurant's window ever since his closure, calling on the authorities to take action.

Francisco had planned to reopen on Monday (November 18) but, as he was preparing to do so, discovered a leak coming from the ceiling. After removing one of the tiles, he found an additional structure above the ceiling that he believed to be unstable.

Photos show cracks in the structure and Francisco says there were additional parts that appeared to have moved out of place. He contacted his landlord Exeter City Council, who sent a surveyor to inspect the issue and have now confirmed that there is a risk of the ceiling falling in.

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Francisco said: "I wanted to reopen on Monday but I realised there was a leak and when I opened the ceiling, I realised there was another ceiling above. The structure had been modified and, in my opinion, was not very secure. I contacted the council and they sent a technician, who said there was a risk of collapse."

An email from an Exeter City Council surveyor on November 15, seen by DevonLive, confirms this but goes on to say that the authority is not responsible for repair as the damaged structure is not part of the property it is letting.

"Their first answer was that it was not their responsibility," Francisco said. "The council is risking the life of people and they don't want to take responsibility.

"They have rented me a premises with this risk. In the one and a half years, there has been a risk to life of the customers and staff here."

In a further email on November 18, the surveyor said that "it is not safe" for Francisco to use the premises and that a structural engineer would be called to the site "to advise on the detailed situation".

DevonLive contacted Exeter City Council, who says it is "arranging specialist advice" and that the restaurant will not be able to open until a structural engineer's report has been carried out. It has also confirmed that Francisco is not responsible for arranging repairs.

An Exeter City Council spokesperson said: "The council is arranging specialist advice on what may be an inherent defect in part of an original ceiling dating from when conversion of the Corn Exchange building took place some years ago. The ceiling had been covered over until recent maintenance work revealed the defect. The current tenant of the affected shop unit is being kept informed."