Anger at state of '˜no man's land' path leading to High Street

The path which connects the the Hill Place car park and Merchant’s Quarter on the east end of the High Street has become severely overgrown as trees and bushes from nearby gardens have spilled over the walls.

However, a row over who owns the path means no one is stepping forward to take responsibility.

One resident from nearby flats said he even saw evidence of drug-taking and people sleeping rough at the path.

David White said: “It’s horrible. We’ve seen guys sleeping there, and people taking drugs. The problem is there’s a lack of ownership. It’s just been neglected.

“My partner had a bad fall there last week. It’s not safe.

“It’s not about just clearing it once. It’s about sustainability and the upkeep.”

John Wilson, owner of Betty Nicols pub – which is next to the path, said that while the walkway isn’t part of the pub property, he has already cleared it a number of times.

“The council says the path is a no-man’s land, but the flats own the gardens.

“My understanding is that no one owns it. The public use it as a path to the High Street.

“The first year I took over the pub, I cleared it three times, and it cost me every time. I stopped because I can’t keep bankrolling it.

“The bushes growing onto the path are coming from the gardens nearby and there’s nothing we can do about that because it’s someone else’s property.

“The path is a major access route between Merchant’s Quarter and the car park, but there’s rubbish appearing all the time.”

Scott Clelland, Fife Council’s team manager of Kirkcaldy area parks, streets, and open spaces, said: “I have carried out a visit to the site. The lane of private property and the upkeep is not the responsibility of the council.

“There is a small piece of land located off Hill Place that is owned by the council which is in need of a litter pick. I will arrange for this work to be carried out in the next couple of days.”

A spokesman for Link Housing, which owns a number of properties in the block above the path, said: “As the land is owned by multiple people we do not currently provide landscape management services to look after the back garden area. If the tenants, owner occupier and the pub did want the area maintained they could contact us and we could arrange this – the costs would then be distributed among all parties.”