Probe into second blaze in six months at boarded up former Kirkcaldy pub
Investigations are underway after a boarded up former pub in Kirkcaldy was set on fire for a second time in less than six months.
Emergency services spent two hours tackling the blaze at the former White Heather pub on Hendry Road on Sunday night.
Fire crews from Kirkcaldy and Lochgelly were sent to the scene, and spent two hours bringing the blaze under control. There were no reports of any injuries.
The landmark pub has sat empty for more than two years.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said: “We got a call at 9:49pm reporting a fire at a derelict building on Hendry Road.
“We sent appliances from Kirkcaldy and Lochgelly. Crews took two hours to extinguish the blaze with the stop being called just before midnight.”
In July, police said a fire started at the pub was deliberate.
The once popular venue closed its doors in 2024, and the site is the subject of development plans.
It was bought by Glenshire Developments Ltd - the company behind Greens Convenience Store in St Clair Street - which has submitted a planning application to Fife Council for permission to demolish the pub, and create a new mixed use convenience centre, add a car park and landscape the area.
The plans could see a development similar to the one at the top of Rosslyn Street which removed a long-standing empty former showroom to create a new supermarket, hot food take away and a new Salvation Army charity shop.
Four new units are proposed for the Hendry Road site. The development would be anchored by a convenience store alongside potential hot food take aways, and one unit which could be ideal for a baker, greengrocer, nail salon, hairdresser, tanning salon or office.
The White Heather opened in 1959s and was the town’s first roadhouse. It quickly became a popular place for wedding receptions and dances, and for folk going to gigs at the nearby Kirkcaldy YM. It boasted a public bar, cocktail bar and also offered accommodation.