PICTURES: Fire in the Old Court House

Crews from Chesterfield and Staveley were called to a fire at the Old Court House between Rose Hill and West Bars, Chesterfield at 1.30pm on Saturday, March 18.

One reader who has sent us pictures of the fire said: “It was just one of the rooms upstairs was really smoky and blackened and the carpet was wet through.

“It looked like a sleeping bag had gone up and the outside looks such a mess. All the windows have been put through by fire extinguishers and there was a ladder which had been shoved through one as well.”

The derelict Grade II listed building received planning consent last year allowing it to be used for a variety of purposes including office, retail and leisure facilities.

It has stood empty for the last few years and become a hotspot for vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

Designed by Professor Joseph Stanley Allen, a renowned architect, planner and academic, the building was completed in 1956 and became Grade II listed in 1998.