John: Imperial Arcade a safety hazard in rain

Oct 22 2009 By John Avison

TALKING about all falling down, am I the only person to have nearly gone base over apex in Imperial Arcade on a wet day?

I’ve always admired the soaring architecture of the arcade – Huddersfield town centre is not short of soaring architecture.

But when the weather’s in any way inclement I have to stand stock still and brace myself against the walls if I want to study the Imperial’s intricate ironwork two storeys over my head.

The marble floor, pretty though it is, is a skating rink, and a sloping skating rink to boot.

If I were a solicitor with one of those firms that offer to handle ‘no win, no fee’ personal injury claims I’d establish a permanent presence near the entrance and wait for business to come slithering out of control towards me.

Seriously, this is a major hazard. Putting out warning cones is not the answer.

Might the answer be to pit the surface in some way, roughen it so that it’s less like a sheet of glass when it rains?