New owner unveils plans to bring semi-derelict landmark Kirkcaldy hotel back to life

The once-thriving Royal Hotel in Dysart has new owners, and a planning application has been submitted to Fife Council to begin making internal alterations to the building which dates back to the early 19th century.

The hotel has endured troubled times for several years after a previous owner collapsed into administration, closing the doors overnight.

The Category C-listed building was bought by a Huddersfield property company, Havit Properties, in May 2021, but hopes of a revival in fortunes failed to materialise. In 2022 it was hit by a fire ,and a police raid also uncovered a cannabis cultivation factory inside, which was said to have plants worth an estimated £450,000.

Community concerns also grew as the state of the building deteriorated with plaster peeling from the outside walls, mounds of debris in the car parkland several smashed windows boarded up.

Since then the hotel has been bought by Mr Imran Haqqan who is seeking listed building consent to carry out internal renovations to the two and three storey stone built building with a pledge to “bring it up to modern standards.”

He bought the property last year, and a supporting statement described it as “semi derelict “ after lying empty since 2019.

The statement said: “The new owner wishes to upgrade the hotel to modern standards, and now applies for Listed Building approval to carry out these improvements. There are no proposals to carry out any alterations to the external appearance, apart from general repairs and the repainting of the external render to match existing.”

The plans would see two bedrooms lost to create four additional en suite rooms, and it is also proposed to separate the public bar and restaurant area, to allow both functions to be developed separately. The other works will be concentrated on upgrading electrical and alarm systems to bring them up to the required current standards.

Councillors will consider the application in due course.