The owners of the two shops and two flats in the C-listed property at 26-30 Bonnygate had been served with a demolition notice and given until January 15 to take action.

But the deadline passed and the local authority has now stepped in.
Work will shortly begin to raze the building to the ground and the costs — estimated to be around £200,000 — will be recouped over the next 30 years.

The property has deteriorated rapidly over the past few months and repairing it would cost more than £700,000 — more than twice its market value.

The demolition of the building — dubbed 'Cupar's leaning tower' — will bring to an end a saga dating back more than six years.

The owners were made aware of a structural fault after a bulge was spotted in a wall and they were asked to take remedial action, but failed to do so and were served with a dangerous buildings notice by Fife Council.

At that time, the cost of repairs was estimated at just £30,000.

The building was temporarily stabilised and the owners were given a further opportunity to repair their properties, but due to a lack of response and unwillingness on their part to take responsibility, a repairs notice was served on safety grounds.

However, they defaulted on the notice and the council stepped in to organise repair works, spending more than £54,000 on stabilising the property.

Read more in the Fife Herald.