Ayr Station Hotel Catches Fire

[Billy Jean King]

2 minutes ago, Shipa said:

"Normal Island thread for this pish..."

That the law puts at risk tenants, emergency services, and the general public, to the benefit of property owners, should come as no surprise.

And worse still an owner on the other side of the world who to the best of my knowledge has never set foot in Ayr since the day he purchased the property.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Has Muriel Gray been spotted in Ayr recently?

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

6 minutes ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

Has Muriel Gray been spotted in Ayr recently?

Matches Muriel?

[Sergeant Wilson]

5 minutes ago, Zen Archer (Raconteur) said:

Matches Muriel?

That was Freddy Krueger.

[GuyIncognito]

2 hours since I first heard of this and the fire is still going strong. Problem is that its mostly inside behind all the scaffolding so they can't get to it, wouldn't be surprised to see this continue until the early hours.

[GuyIncognito]

https://www.facebook.com/ayrshiredailynews/videos/224464870620189

[Derry Alli]

1 minute ago, GuyIncognito said:

2 hours since I first heard of this and the fire is still going strong. Problem is that its mostly inside behind all the scaffolding so they can't get to it, wouldn't be surprised to see this continue until the early hours.

I think the main problem will probably be the cuts to the Fire service and the jigging about of the vehicles. There are very well equipped rural stations nowadays whereas the larger ones are being stripped.

[GuyIncognito]

6 minutes ago, Derry Alli said:

I think the main problem will probably be the cuts to the Fire service and the jigging about of the vehicles. There are very well equipped rural stations nowadays whereas the larger ones are being stripped.

I don't think cuts etc are the problem here. There are over a dozen crews there with all the specialist equipment, it's just that the source of the blaze is very difficult to get to.

[TxRover]

57 minutes ago, GuyIncognito said:

The council could've at least came to an official stance of knocking it down and then drawing up plans on what to do with it, which would've put the Malaysian guy or whoever it is who owns it in a much weaker position when negoiating. But no they've wasted time trying to appease a small number of old people who only want to keep it because "I remember back in the olden days when my cousins/whoever came to visit and they stayed there and it looked lovely etc etc", when the vast majority of taxpayers want it gone.

However I do agree that what happened today, although a bit sad, is the best outcome.

If they’d done that, then surely a Compulsory Purchase Order could have been used to acquire and demolish in the public interest, or is there some other factor (besides doddering old fools) at play?

[Bob in Denny]

Listed building, no?

don't you have to wait until it is deemed unsafe/ falls down or burn down before you can demolish and build on the site?

[GuyIncognito]

7 minutes ago, TxRover said:

If they’d done that, then surely a Compulsory Purchase Order could have been used to acquire and demolish in the public interest, or is there some other factor (besides doddering old fools) at play?

A very rich owner from overseas who would probably hire the best lawyers possible to fight a CPO in court everytime the council would try to go near it, so the council never tried it due to huge legal fees, and when they tried to buy it he would just ignore them and say he wasn't selling.

[Derry Alli]

10 minutes ago, GuyIncognito said:

I don't think cuts etc are the problem here. 

You're most likely right. It's about time drone hoses were brought into play.

[Sergeant Wilson]

21 minutes ago, Derry Alli said:

I think the main problem will probably 

No-one gives a f**k and it's cheaper to burn it down than continue with the kid on renovation.

[greendot]

21 minutes ago, Bob in Denny said:

Listed building, no?

don't you have to wait until it is deemed unsafe/ falls down or burn down before you can demolish and build on the site?

 

Category B listing https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB21808

[RH33]

Another unfortunate fire. Happens all to often with beautiful buildings that need money spent on them.

[carpetmonster]

1 hour ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

Has Muriel Gray been spotted in Ayr recently?

Not since 2020, when she was hanging out there with Daniel Radciffe

https://www.ayradvertiser.com/news/18243597.oor-wullie-musical-casts-charm-ayr-put-unforgettable-performance/

[eez-eh]

2 hours ago, Lurkst said:

Unfortunately timed article in the Herald today...

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23809253.great-scottish-hotel-want-destroy-mustnt-let/

 

Hope he’s crying.

Fully expect the “friends of station hotel” or whatever they’re called to still advocate restoring the shithole at a cost of a billion quid after this.

[eez-eh]

50 minutes ago, RH33 said:

Another unfortunate fire. Happens all to often with beautiful buildings that need money spent on them.

Normally agree with you but this thing has been scaffolded up for over 5 years. It’s a complete eye-sore and any talk of restoring it was kicking the can down the road. The cost would have been extortionate.

[Derry Pele]

2 hours ago, Billy Jean King said:

The Council can't knock down a privately owned property. They were legally obliged to make it safe but that's where their obligation or legal powers ended.

There was a building in Dumfries that’s been empty for over a decade, slates were falling from the roof onto the road so the council shut the road (100 yards from their headquarters). They got someone in to raze all but the front ground floor facade and handed the owner the bill. Road was shut for weeks upon weeks but it was a better alternative to someone getting panned by debris

edit to clarify that it is/was on the BARR, presumably due to its town centre location

2 hours ago, Shipa said:

That the law puts at risk tenants, emergency services, and the general public, to the benefit of property owners, should come as no surprise.

This is the bit that gets me the most; fifteen appliances are there and they each have a crew presumably, how many lives does that represent? Some of whom are “going to work” and other that will be retained, not that it makes a difference

Edited September 25, 2023 by Derry Pele

[diegomarahenry]

There was a survey done recently by a group called save Britain's heritage that said the building wasn't in such a bad state. It could be repaired and made operational for a mere £9.5 million. The feedback from the council was kind of, why and what for? There isn't a need or a purpose for a building that size in the town any more.