Kirkcaldy Kitty’s nightclub demolished after historic building destroyed in fire

The action came just days after Fife Council confirmed assessments showed the B-listed structure could not be saved. They ruled it to be “an immediate danger to the public.”

Kitty’s was ravaged in a devastating fire last Sunday which saw the roofs collapse and the whole of the interior reduced to twisted metal and rubble.

Six crews were dispatched to the scene on the corner of Hunter Street by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. They came from stations across Fife, and some remained there for 15 hours. Thick black smoke which billowed out of the shattered roof could be seen across town - from Seafield beach to the very top of Bennochy Road.

Over 100 spectators gathered across the Town Square and outside the bus station to witness the devastating scenes. Some residents were also evacuated as a precautions as fire crews tackled the blaze.

Drones were sent up to assess the scale of the damage as structural engineers moved in to give their verdict.

Demolition will take place in two phases with the façade on Hunter Street being brought down . Work then will pause while SGN reconnects local gas supplies and contractors do what they can to salvage any parts of the building that have historic value for the community.

The council is in discussions with the owner of the building to see what can be done to preserve any items of historical interest and keep them safe. Full demolition will then continue – the former adjacent Candy Bar, better known to many as Thunder Road or The Gallery, has yet to be demolished.

Nigel Kerr, head of protective services said: “Demolition work has started which should end the disruption experienced by local residents and businesses in the area. I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while essential work by Scottish Gas Network was carried out to make the site safe.

“Now that demolition has started, we hope to get residents back in their homes and businesses back open as quickly as possible.”

Added Nigel: “To see such a beautiful historic building reduced to rubble brings home the devastating impact that anti-social behaviour has on the whole community. It just wasn’t viable, or safe, to save the building and our priority has to be public safety and the needs of the local residents and businesses.

“We will be communicating directly with affected residents and businesses to let them know when it’s safe to return. Roads will also re-open when it's safe and we'll work as quickly as we can to get the town centre back to normal.”

When all checks have been done, the perimeter fencing is expected to be minimised to allow businesses in Hunter Street to look at re-opening, and traffic given access. Restrictions remain in place while demolition work continues.It was the third fire to hit the empty building in the heart of the town. Kitty’s, owned by Kingdom Hotels, closed in 2019 and in December, Hunter Street Properties was given permission by Fife Council to convert the former nightclub and adjacent bar into a total of 19 flats.

The developer has been in discussions with the building’s owner to try to deliver the project, but rising costs saw it put all plans on hold, and the building was recently put back on the market by property consultants, Falconer, recently. The planning application for re-development was also formally withdrawn.

> Three 15-year olds have been arrested and charged in connection with the fire.