There were sad scenes at Cupar Sheriff Court as the judiciary building closed its doors for good after 800 years.
Members of the Fife branch of the Liberal Democrats, who fought to keep the court open, gathered outside the premises on Friday evening in a last-ditch attempt to voice their concern about the closure, which they claim will have “damaging” repercussions for the local community.
In a letter to be sent today to Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny McAskill, the kingdom’s Lib Dem politicians said they are “deeply disappointed” about the decision.
And they listed a number of problems they believe will arise as a result of transferring business to Dundee, including local firms suffering from correspondence being taken out of town and the fact Dundee is outwith the local police boundary.
The joint statement, put forward by Fife councillors Margaret Kennedy and Tim Brett and Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Willie Rennie, also made the point that there will be a knock-on effect on healthcare provision and added pressure on social work services.
The trio also claim vulnerable people may struggle to cope with travelling further afield for court cases which could then delay the judicial process.