A FIRE-DAMAGED amusement arcade may be granted listed building status.

J Noble and Sons Amusements recently applied to Chester-le-Street District Council to redevelop the fire-damaged premises on the town's Front Street, which it says are unsafe.

The blaze happened in February and the efforts of 25 firefighters were needed to extinguish it. Arsonists were blamed.

Redevelopment plans were recommended for approval by council planning officers until shortly before a planning meeting, when they decided to apply for listed building status.

Director of planning and development Tom Watson said the council decided to get the 18th Century building listed after speaking to English Heritage. He said environmental health officers felt there was no danger of it collapsing.

He said: "Even if the building is listed, it won't prevent refurbishment, as long as the front elevation is preserved."

The move has angered owner Jason Noble, who claimed the premises were unsafe

He said he was left with a rising bill for scaffolding installed to make the building safe, but could not carry out repairs until he had heard whether it was to be listed.

He said: "We brought in a structural engineer who seems to have done too good a job, because the building was in a dangerous condition until he put all the scaffolding in place. We have bills coming in for all this scaffolding, and I've paid for architects to put together designs for the site."