The setting alight of an “iconic” former hotel should prompt redevelopment of the site, a local councillor believes.
Tom Adams said that he hopes that the derelict Lundin Links Hotel can be restored to its former glory after fire raisers torched the C-listed building on Saturday night.
While the Tudor-style facade and roof have remained intact, much of the building’s interior is said to have been gutted, with the blaze taking four hours to be brought under control.
Having been empty for more than two years, Mr Adams said that now was the time for the building to be redeveloped to prevent further damage.
“I just hopes that this galvanises somebody to do something,” he said.
“It is such an iconic building that something really needs to be done with it and the last thing that we need is another derelict building.
“I’ve known people who have had weddings and honeymoons there and it was a lovely hotel in its day.
“Everybody notices it when they drive past it – it’s a really good looking building.”
At one point, eight fire appliances from across Fife were at the scene on Saturday night, attempting to halt the flames.
The blaze is thought to have started on the four-storey building’s second floor and police are treating the fire as a deliberate act, adding that they are following “positive lines of enquiry” in tracing those responsible.
The business closed its doors in 2014 and was then purchased by developers, who planned to expand the hotel and transform the site into residential accommodation.
The building has been surrounded by security fencing as the site stands dormant, however, Mr Adams said that security measures could only do so much to keep intruders out.
“I don’t know if it has been vandals or somebody breaking into the building that have done this,” he said.
“If people want to break into a building then they will.
“I don’t know quite how secure you can make it.
“You could put metal barriers up but that would look horrible.”
jowatson@thecourier.co.uk.
