How the Fife Free Press reported the Co-op fire in April, 1975.How the Fife Free Press reported the Co-op fire in April, 1975.
How the Fife Free Press reported the Co-op fire in April, 1975.

In pictures: The site of the former Co-op building in Kirkcaldy High Street through the years

It may now be an empty, overgrown, boarded up eyesore, but the site of the former Co-op building on Kirkcaldy High Street has a fascinating history.

In the 18th century the site was the home of Kirkcaldy MP James Oswald and his house remained intact until the early 20th century when the Kirkcaldy & District Co-operative Society was opened in 1907. Fifty years later work began on a major refurbishment and extension, completed in 1960, making it one of the most stunning buildings in the town centre. Disaster struck in April 1975 when the entire four-storey building was gutted by a fire which caused £1m of damage, to be replaced by an ugly, modernist 70s block which opened as the Central and East Fife Co-op in 1977. As shopping habits changed, the Co-op finally closed its doors in 1992 and for a time, the building was home to a furniture and carpet retailer, but was eventually demolished in 2008 and the site has remained empty ever since, despite a number of plans over the years to make use of the space. Read a more detailed history of the site HERE.

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