Rotting 'two-ton' sign post being monitored by council (From Times Series)

Rotting 'two-ton' sign post at Railway Hotel in Edgware being monitored by Barnet Council

1:59pm Wednesday 13th February 2013 in News By Chris Hewett

A “two-ton” oak sign post suffering from wood rot is being monitored by Barnet Council but the authority does not believe it is dangerously unstable.

Service engineer Patrick Gibson warned that the teetering 12 foot gantry outside the closed Railway Hotel, in Station Road, Edgware, was in danger of falling onto a busy nearby bus stop.

Although the site is not the property of the local authority, Mr Gibson reported it on public safety grounds but failed to get a response to his concerns for more than six weeks.

Today the council issued a statement that said: “We have been monitoring this structure over a period of time and, although the timber is showing considerable signs of weathering, the gantry is not considered dangerous at this moment.

“We have informed the estate agent selling the property and, given its proximity to a bus stop, we have recommended the owner carry out a full structural survey of the post and monitor it regularly, as will we.”