Pictures back up claims Preston's former BHS store has been used as a snail farm

It comes after the Post last week revealed that Preston City Council was investigating claims about how the prime retail space on Fishergate had been used since it shut its doors in 2016.

In the images, obtained by Blog Preston, lid-covered containers can be seen spaced out across the floor of the premises - although the snails themselves are not visible.

A source has told the city website that they were responsible for clearing the store and then setting up the snail farm. They said that the pictures were taken in January 2019 and that the city council had inspected the building at that time.

“The snails would be on site for three months before being harvested and sent to restaurants for food – and then a new set would arrive,” the anonymous individual explained.

Preston City Council said in a statement addressing the account: “We can confirm that officers visited the premises in January 2019. As investigations are ongoing, no further information or comment will be issued at this time.”

The authority previously told the Post that it was looking into allegations of “unauthorised use” of the prominent property as a snail farm and revealed that the building had benefited from a three-month reduction in its business rates on two separate occasions in the last three years - triggered by periods of previous occupation. However, the new pictures pre-date that timeframe by two years.

A city council spokesperson said in response to the Post’s revelation last week: “By placing boxes of snails in a property, a company can claim its use is for agricultural purposes, like a farm, and therefore exempt from paying business rates.

“However, it is unlikely that the Valuation Office Agency would reclassify the premises and a number of cases have established this precedent.

“When a property becomes empty after being occupied for six weeks, it can benefit from a three-month business rates relief.

“During the last three-year period, this particular property has benefitted from two periods of three-month business rates empty relief following periods of occupation of the premises.”

The Post and Blog Preston approached the company listed by the Land Registry as the freehold owner of the former department store site for comment on their respective stories - but neither received a response.