Kirkcaldy residents have launched a campaign to prevent Farmfoods from demolishing Scotland’s last linen factory.
The frozen food supermarket chain has been granted planning permission to tear down the former Victoria Linen Works building.
It plans to build a new 1,153 square metre store on the site on the corner of St Clair Street and McKenzie Street.
The retailer says the building is in poor structural condition and cannot be renovated.
However, hundreds of people have already signed an online petition set up this week calling for the demolition to be stopped.
They describe it as “short-sighted” destruction and “a complete loss to everyone”.
Demolition would erase generations of hard work
The former linen factory closed its doors for the last time in April 2021 after almost 200 years in operation.
It was once one of 15 mills in Kirkcaldy.
The petition says the building is testament to Fife’s industrial heritage.
It adds: “Generations of locals were employed there and many gave long service to a company with a paternal approach to its workforce.
“Their hard work and memories are to be erased with the wreckers’ demolition ball, lost forever and replaced by nothing.
“Stop the demolition and retain the building.
“Farmfoods, or even any other store, would then have a more prominent standing and reputation within the town.”
Victoria Linen Works building is not listed
Members of Fife Council’s west and central planning committee nodded through the demolition last week.
A report by the planning service said: “While the former linen works building provides a visual link to Kirkcaldy’s history and is a distinctive feature within our local townscape, it’s not a listed building and it’s not in a conservation area.
“Farmfoods maintains that the current building cannot be retained or reused because it is in poor structural condition.”
The supermarket’s previous store in Kirkcaldy closed when The Postings shut for good.
And the retailer has been looking for an alternative site in the town.
Farmfoods said the new development would create around 20 jobs.
Kirkcaldy linen works had customers across the world
The linen works, operated by Peter Greig and Co, opened in 1825 but closed during the Covid pandemic amid economic uncertainty.
Workers there wove bespoke linens and natural fibres for the furniture, industrial and clothing markets.
And around 25,000 metres of linen were produced each week and shipped to customers around the world.
In 2019, its products featured in an exclusive fashion show at Edinburgh Castle as part of a special tribute to Mary Queen of Scots.
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