The Kirkcaldy buildings YOU picked as our eyesores

Last week we asked readers to nominate the sights around town which they consider to be blots on the landscape – and many different places were named.

The hit list included the old Uganda Charity shop on the High Street, opposite Burton, the former power station on Victoria Road and the disused Plumb Center at the top of Nicol Street, which was once earmarked to become a convenience store before plans were shelved.

The car park on the Esplanade was also called “ugly beyond belief” by Dr Jennifer Taggart, who said: “It is Stalinistic in design and is more in keeping with a pre-1989 East German building. Whoever designed such a ghastly edifice?

“I know that, realistically, this building is unlikely to be demolished any time soon as it provides an income for the council.

“My suggestion is this – paint the exterior of the building in silver and pale grey to co-ordinate with the stylish block of flats built on the adjacent Jackie O site.

“This surely would be cheaper than a re-build.”

The condition of the former swimming pool on the Esplanade – now closed and left unattended for three years now – also received a number of complaints from readers.

Penny Brown said: “It is horrific and someone should be held accountable for the fact such a huge part of a seafront location stands empty.

“The council need to put money into getting business in not changing the colour or pavement bricks and spending a fortune on new signs!”

But it was the scrap metal and skip hire yard owned by Thomas Muir at the corner of Smeaton Road – dubbed “Muir’s Midden” – that got the most mentions by far.

With brand new flats being built on the site of the former Melville-Brodie engineering works, which will face on to the site, the council is being urged to take action.

Mike Diack contacted the Press saying as the facility is next to the railway line, it “must present a very poor image to travellers”.

“The only loss would unfortunately be to the butterflies and other insects that must love the Buddleia bushes overgrowing the site!” he added.

David Page was an employee at the site in the 1970s, when it was the Fife Forge Company, and said he was dismayed by its current condition.

He said: “The first impressions show you the visual state of the yard. An absolute eyesore in a busy part of Kirkcaldy highly visual for all to see.”

The FFP tried to contact Muir’s but was unable to get a comment.

Roy Stewart, senior manager, protective services, at Fife Council said: “We are aware of the negative impact of the Muir’s site – on the environment and visually – for both local residents and visitors to the area and are in active discussions with the owners to put measures in place to remove this blight.”

Nominate an eyesore by emailing reporter Paul McCabe at [email protected].