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Former coroner's court to be sold off

Federica BedendoNorth East and Cumbria
BBC The sign at the entrance to the coroner's court in Cockermouth. It is a white sign on a silver metal pole with various logos and names of government organisations, with the most prominent words across the middle reading HM Coroners Service Cumbria. The gable end of a brick two-storey building with a pointed tiled roof stands at right angles to a single storey flat-roofed extension which appears to house the main entrance. Behind the smaller building is a Sainsbury's shop front. Cars are parked outside the coroners office. On the opposite side of a narrow street, with no pavement, to the right of the building building are much older two and three storey stone buildings in a terrace.BBC
The building in Cockermouth served as the venue for inquests until February this year

A former coroner's court is set to be sold after it was deemed no longer fit for purpose.

The building in Cockermouth, Cumbria, became the main venue for inquest proceedings in 2014 but has been unused since February, after which the service moved to Allerdale House in Workington.

Owner Cumberland Council said the Station Road office had been put up for sale for £225,000 as the authority wanted to "dispose of assets which are surplus to requirements".

The Labour-run authority jointly funds the county's coroner's court with LibDem-led Westmorland and Furness Council.

Previously the councils said the Cockermouth building, which is in a prominent position behind the town's Sainsbury's supermarket, did not meet requirements in terms of safety for coroners, accessibility and capacity to host larger inquests.

The new premises in Workington have two court rooms, family rooms and meeting spaces.

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