Concerned town councillors called for a break from business rates for town businesses and better communications when they met with a Cumberland Council director.

"We have really got to do something, Cockermouth is dying on its feet," said Cllr David Malloy.

They also highlighted problems with the walkway over the River Cocker.

Darren Crossley, director of Place, Sustainable Growth and Transport, attended the town council meeting last Wednesday.

Cllr Gillian Telford said: "We want thriving and viable communities. The bridge issue is a huge concern at the moment.

"What would help is if people had more information about the state of things and a better understanding.

"I know no one can wave a magic wand but information is so important."

Darren said: "It's always difficult to get the balance right. We now have more information coming through structural survey work. How do you best advise us to do something with that?

"Inevitably it ends up in social media and turns into a negative experience."

Cllr Isabel Burns said: "People are so worried and asking us what's happening with the bridge. I went into a shop today at 3.30pm and was the first customer.

"The walkway has issues, you have to be very good on your feet. There was a lady struggling with a zimmer frame."

Cllr Julie Laidlow said: "It's dangerous if it's frosty. A gentleman fell at the weekend."

Cllr Malloy said: "A shop owner was in tears. It all goes back to communication. She was asking if it would be better to shut for three or six months? She said the council is telling them nothing.

"I walked up and down Market Place, even the hairdresser was losing appointments because everyone is saying Cockermouth is not open for business.

"The deluge of positivity is not there. We have really got to do something, Cockermouth is dying on its feet.

"You talk about sustainability but we are going to have empty shops.

"We have schools, hospitals, two quite big estates and a sports centre cut off. It's a critical situation."

"Why do we not knock the building down and get on with it?" asked Cllr Laidlow.

Darren said: "The building is privately owned so we have had to go to court.

"We need access to the site, we need permission to work within the river, it is a listed property and therefore we have to work with Historic England.

"So even if the owner allowed we could not demolish it.

"We do not have a week go by without planning the next step, we are pushing things forward.

"It's very frustrating, these things take time."

Cllr Malloy asked if the council could overrule the Environment Agency.

Darren said: "If we are at a point of crisis - yes. In the position of a more measured response to the ongoing situation, the preference is to work together, collectively.

"We need to try and find a timescale."

He said there were cameras on the building checking for movement. He was not aware of any being detected he said.

"Why not open the bridge then?" asked Cllr Laidlow.

"We all know that the risk is probably pretty low but it's a bold step to disregard the risk," said Darren.

"We are trying to work out a way to protect the road but have been told that's not possible."

Cllr Stephen Barnes said: "It's not just Market Place suffering, Cockermouth is cut off from its school and sports centre.

"It's really disappointing we cannot make more progress."

Darren said: "We need to think about other things we can do before taking direct action to demolish."

Helen Tucker, a town and county councillor, told the meeting she met with Karl Melville, assistant director for highways and transport, earlier that week.

"The danger is that the building is actually twisted towards the road and if it collapses there's a greater chance of it going on to Main Street and the bridge," she said.

"Demolishing it is not easy from a legal point of view. Even if they were legally able to do so then that in itself is challenging.

"The only way we can do it is from the front, on Main Street. The River Cocker is too narrow to access and Brewery Lane is too narrow so they're looking at various ways of doing it."

Cllr Marion Bowman called for regular video updates about the situation, to keep everyone informed.

"During Covid the director of public health Colin Cox frequently made comments, updated people. We could have a communication champion updating us on video every week, reassuring and informing people," she said.

"They could give information we are hearing tonight that is not getting through.

"Social media is a quagmire of horrors and misplaced rumours."

Councillors questioned how the unitary authority was supporting businesses and called for a rates holiday.

It was unanimously agreed they write to Cumberland Council calling for a business rates holiday.