The owner of a pub affected by a fire on Leven High Street claims the incident was inevitable after her concerns were ignored.
Crown Inn boss Cath Bissett spoke out in the wake of Friday night’s blaze that saw the former G Masterton Jewellers building go up in flames.
Crews battled the fire overnight before leaving the scene on Saturday afternoon, with police inquiries ongoing.
The bar – next door to the old jewellery store – will be closed for the foreseeable future due the extensive damage to its neighbouring premises.
Ms Bissett told The Courier she regularly raised concerns about “constant vandalism” to the building and claims the fire – yards from one that destroyed a Poundstretcher shop three weeks ago –Â could have been avoided.
She said: “Myself and my staff have complained to councillor Colin Davidson on an almost weekly basis regarding the constant vandalism by unknown children in the Mastertons building, which he assured me had been passed on to Fife Council.
“We have also on several occasions over the last few weeks phoned the police regarding this and also [thinking about] the safety of the children entering the building.
‘Incident waiting to happen’
“I have raised several concerns with Councillor Davidson regarding the exact incident that has just happened as I knew that if the building went on fire it would affect us and Hays [optometrist] in a severe way.
“I asked on each occasion for the building to be secured with a metal shutter or door at the rear as this is how the children were getting in but this was never acted upon.
“This was an incident waiting to happen if the building wasn’t properly secured.”
We asked Councillor Davidson to respond to Ms Bissett’s claims.
He said: “I acted on every concern raised to me and passed on my concerns to council officers and police, the most recent being two weeks ago after the Poundstretcher fire.
“I entered the building as it had been opened and found it in a perilous state, rotten with burst pipes and an unlocked walk-in safe that could have ended up being shut with someone inside.
“I was worried about an incident like this happening and the impact it would have on several businesses, and it possibly happening frequently.
“Council officers and police officers attended several times and shut the building up only for the wooden shuttering to be torn down by youngsters.
“I had asked for metal shuttering to be fitted as a deterrent however council officers required support from an absentee landlord who failed to communicate with us in time to prevent this incident.”
Police Scotland did not comment on the security of the building, instead reiterating their appeal for witnesses.
The November 8 blaze that destroyed the Poundstretcher store saw 50 firefighters attend, with the building now to be destroyed.
Police say they are not treating the incidents as linked.
Nearby businesses are already struggling amid the cost of living crisis and roadworks on Bawbee Bridge.
And they say two fires in a matter of weeks is another blow.
‘Blow after blow’
Mark Barnett, owner of W. Simpson and Sons butchers, said: “I feel like we’re taking three steps forward and one million steps back.
“It has just been blow after blow.
“Some of the older business owners I’ve spoken to are starting to think that maybe they’ve had enough rather than wait it out. It’s just getting too much.
“The roadworks have been more disruptive than the fires but they haven’t made stuff easier.
“But praise where it’s due the council have been very helpful. It’s nice to feel like someone is supporting us.”
Carol Mackie, owner of Glendale Nurseries, added:Â “A lot of the businesses nearby are family owned and been here for a long time.
“They will stay, they’ve put a lot into it.
“Our takings have been down 40%-50% the last three months, it hasn’t been easy.
“But we just need to get our head down and get on with it.
“We also need the community to change their shopping habits and come back to their high streets, support local businesses.”
Conversation