Why Ayr Station Hotel fire is the sad day for town that everyone feared would come
26.09.2023 - 20:03
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
It was the day everyone feared would come.
And now September 25, 2023 will forever be etched in the history of Ayr for all the wrong reasons. The Station Hotel had long since become a sorry saga before the heartbreaking scenes that engulfed the building on Monday night.
For years, the once grand structure has been wrapped in layers of legal red tape, expensive scaffolding and a sense of overall embarrassment for the town. As a journalist who has covered the twists and tales of this sad story down the years, standing watching the hotel finally bite the dust was a sad moment.
Hundreds had gathered to witness the moment. All of them sombre. But none particularly surprised by what was unfolding...which in itself speaks volumes.
Since 2018 — when South Ayrshire Council were forced to slap a Dangerous Building Notice on the hotel — the long road to ruin has been winding.
Recriminations will be long and many figures in high office should this week be reflecting on what more they could have done over these last five years to prevent the seemingly inevitable.
Let us be in no doubt. Enough warnings had been given. Regardless of the legal arguments and the finger pointing down the years, one thing was increasingly clear.
The Station Hotel was not a secure building and had become a major safety risk to the public. Russian Roulette was being played in the hope a major disaster would be averted and, by a minor miracle, no casualties came from Monday’s fire.
But the news that the shocking blaze was started deliberately is as depressing as it probably was predictable. And for that reason, history will reflect very poorly on those who could – and should – have acted to ensure this day never came.
While the hotel’s absentee owner and differing