Urban explorers told stay away from ex-council HQ

Urban explorers have been warned by police to stay away from derelict buildings after security guards turned away a YouTuber from a former council headquarters.

County Hall, on Spetchley Road in Worcester, has been closed since June 2024 after legionella bacteria and aerated concrete, RAAC, were found in the building.

The local authority has since signed off on plans to sell the building and in November bosses said demolition would take place within a year.

Now, it is being targeted by urban explorers who film entering abandoned or derelict buildings. Dee Explores, whose members were turned away, say they promote "responsible exploration" and believe they should not be criminalised

A video uploaded to YouTube and Facebook by the group shows people climbing into fenced-off parts of the County Hall site before being told they are trespassing by security guards.

A spokesperson said they believed urban exploring should not be criminalised, and that they actively promoted "responsible exploration" in line with the motto "take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints".

"In some of our videos there are instances where we've encountered security or found that there was no access to a building," they said.

"We deliberately include and post this content to reinforce an important message – urban exploration should not involve ignoring security, forcing entry, or breaking in."

West Mercia Police warned that the County Hall site was unsafe and posed a number of risks, adding the force would take "appropriate action" if it suspected the law had been broken.

"We are aware of recent footage circulating online from so-called urban explorers at County Hall in Worcester and are investigating the matter," said Sgt Julieanna Barker.

"We do patrol the area regularly and members of the public are warned there is extensive CCTV coverage and security on site 24/7, who we are working with on this issue."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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