Tourists visiting the set of a hit television show are being greeted by the sight of dilapidated buildings.
Historic fantasy drama Outlander is taking the US and Canada by storm and visitor numbers to Culross, where scenes were filmed, have soared.
But locals say a derelict hotel and abandoned houses are tainting their impression of the Fife village.
Culross Community Council has pushed for several years for action at the former Dundonald Arms, in Mid Causeway, which is boarded up and overgrown with weeds.
Concerns resurfaced following a recent visit by dozens of Outlander fans from around the world.
Resident Babs Hendry said the state of the building in the middle of Scotland’s most complete 17th and 18th Century burgh was a “sad disgrace”.
She said: “Visitors are coming all this way and then seeing something like this.”
Community council chairman Tim Collins said: “We have put so much pressure on for such a long time to little effect. We know Fife Council has to wait a certain amount of time and certain processes have to be followed, but this has gone on for so long we feel it is reluctant to use the powers it has.
“It’s not a pleasant sight in a tourist area.”
Two other buildings have deteriorated to a similar condition, Sandhaven House and McKenzie House, but work is to be undertaken on the latter by the National Trust for Scotland.
Planning consent was granted in 2008 to Ryce Limited, of Cuparmuir, to change the hotel into houses.
Fife Council’s service manager for building standards and public safety, Neil Mitchell, said: “Fife Council fully recognises the negative impact that stalled building developments can have on local communities.
“Where such properties are privately owned we support early redevelopment as far as we can and a current building warrant application is in place for the planned work.
“A recent inspection confirmed the building is not considered dangerous and the site is secure but liability for upkeep lies firmly with the owner.”
Dubbed Scotland’s Game of Thrones, Outlander was first screened across the Atlantic last August and is available in the UK via the Amazon Prime platform.
Based on the books by Diana Gabaldon, it tells the story of a nurse who travels back in time to 1743.
Filming took place in several Scottish locations.
Photo by George McLuskie