Former cinema destroyed by 'deliberate' fire demolished

A former cinema that was destroyed by a fire and deemed a public safety risk has been demolished.

The building, which sat in the heart of Lochgelly’s town centre, was severely damaged by a fire in September last year.

Two teenage boys, aged 13 and 14, were later arrested in connection with the incident and were referred by Police Scotland to the relevant youth justice authorities.

The remains of the building were deemed a risk to residents, and full demolition was ordered.

An exclusion zone, temporary traffic lights and pavement closures were put in place throughout the process to protect the public.

The building was made safe, and Bank Street was fully reopened to traffic before Christmas. The remaining safety measures have been removed following the completion of the demolition.

The site has now been handed back to its owners.

Garry Nicoll, service manager for building standards and public safety, said: “Following the fire, the building was an immediate danger and we had a statutory responsibility to act. I’m pleased to confirm that the unsafe structure has now been completely removed, and the area no longer poses a risk to the public.

“This has been a complex process, and we’re grateful to local residents and businesses for their cooperation over the last few months. With the demolition complete, we’ve now been able to hand the site back to the owners.”