Kitty's nightclub to be demolished after three fires in six months

The former Kitty's nightclub in Kirkcaldy is to be demolished.

Fife Council confirmed the news this afternoon (Friday) saying the building poses "an immediate danger to the public" and is unstable.

Cordons are going to remain in place and work's due to start as soon as possible. An exact date's not been given.

The Hunter Street building, which has been a feature of the town for many years, has been subject to three fires this year.

Six fire appliances were called to a fire in March, two attended another last month but it was a fire on Sunday afternoon that gutted the building to a burnt out shell and sealed its fate. Crews returned to the scene on Wednesday after it briefly reignited.

Structural engineers carried out a detailed inspection of the listed building after Sunday's fire which saw eight fire crews battle for more than 15 hours to bring it under control. Three boys aged 15 have since been charged in connection with the fire.

Nigel Kerr, Head of Protective Services at Fife Council said: “Engineers have confirmed that the former Kitty’s nightclub building poses an immediate danger to the public. The building is unstable, so cordons remain in place and there’s security on site. 

“The whole building will have to be demolished. It’s unfortunate that we won’t be able to save any part of it, but it’s simply not viable. Our priority must be public safety and the needs of the local residents and businesses.  

“Demolition will start as soon as possible, but it’s a complex site and Scottish Gas Network need access and time to make the site safe first. We’ll issue more information once timescales are confirmed.  

“For now, public access arrangements around the site will stay the same and Pan e Vino and other businesses on Hunter Street remain open. There’s a team continuing to support the residents and traders affected by the cordon. 

“We know this building is part of Kirkcaldy’s heritage and we’ll all be sad to see it go. We’ll do what we can to salvage small parts of the building that have historic value for the community.” 

The Hunter Street building has been a feature of Kirkcaldy for many years, having been a post office before it was a nightclub.

The club shut in 2019 and has been vacant ever since.

In December last year, plans by Hunter Street Properties Ltd to turn the building into flats were approved by Fife Council.

However, no work has taken place due to spiralling costs and the property has been put up for sale as a nightclub or redevelopment opportunity.

The plans for the flats have since been withdrawn.