THE owner of one of Wellington town centre's most long-standing eyesores has been handed an ultimatum to tidy up and repair the building or face prosecution.

Somerset Council has served an enforcement notice on the owner of former newsagents E J Teare, in South Street, which is in the town centre conservation area.

The building's owner has been told to repair and paint the neglected property, or they may face prosecution.

Authorities took action after they decided the building's state of disrepair was 'adversely affecting its land'.

The former newsagents is a listed building, but has fallen into a deleterious state.

Teare's ceased trading in July, 2017, and the building has remained vacant ever since, while residents and councillors have for years called for renovation works to be carried out.

Cllr Andrew Govier said: "I have been contacted by a number of businesses and local residents about the terrible state of Teare's. As well as being an eyesore, its state of disrepair is causing damage to adjacent properties and is a health and safety concern."

The empty shop had one its windows smashed last year, forcing authorities to step in to board up part of the frontage.

Now, Somerset Council is demanding the owner steps up and renovates the eyesore. The council has given them eight weeks to carry out works, including replacing doors and windows, painting the frontage, repairing gutters, and removing moss from the building.

The council warned that failing to comply with the order could result in prosecution. If the owner is prosecuted in a magistrate's court for failing to abide by the order, the council said they faced the prospect of a 'substantial fine.'

Alternatively, the council could intervene to carry out the works itself. A county court would then be asked to order the recovery of the cost of the repairs from the building's owner.

Wellington town Cllr Zoe Barr said: "It is about time something was done about Teare's because it has been a horrible blot on the town centre for so many years now.

"I do not understand why the council could take action so quickly when there were issues in Cornhill but they have been so slow to respond to the anger of local residents and councillors at the awful state of Teare's, which has been much more obvious to everybody."

Somerset Council has been approached for comment and the Wellington Weekly has attempted to contact the building's owner.