ON THE ROAD TO RUIN IN AYR
Crippled Ayr ground to a halt yet again – suffering from the legacy of decades of neglect of its historic buildings.
The astonishing run of critical events is continuing with the crumbling of an 18th century block now owned by South Ayrshire Council.
Former lollipop woman Lena Campbell narrowly avoided being hurt as rubble plunged on to the pavement in Ayr High Street.
And she said: “It gave me the fright of my life. Ayr is in such a state it’s criminal.”
The five- storey block was sealed off on Friday night and the High Street was blocked off — causing chaos to buses and shop deliveries.
The south west’s main shopping arena has been thrown back into the 18th century after fears a building from the era would collapse.
The completely car- less Ayr High Street became the scene of pre- motorised history, with shop- keepers forced to wheel down vital deliveries by hand.
The virtually silent street could have hit the local economy for tens of thousands of pounds as shoppers steered clear and buses were banned.
Former lolipop lady Lena Campbell told how she raised the alarm about the rotting building at the foot of Ayr High Street on Friday night . . after nearly being hit by stone.
And Lena, 63, said: “I had just passed and was looking at the new images on the hoarding next to the building when there was an almighty crash.
“Rubble was cascading down from about nine feet up and I got the fright of my life.
“I would have been badly hurt if I had been hit.
“Even the seagulls flew off in panic.”
Safety concerns had been raised last month about the empty five- storey block after the sign frontage fell off.
The building was bought by the defunct Ayr Renaissance group for redevelopment, but is now South Ayrshire Council owned.
It was to book- end the ditched plaza housing a new council building.
The incident marks the continuation of the neglect of historic Ayr, including the Station Hotel, Belleisle House and the Elms Court Hotel.
At lunchtime on Monday Clark McCrindle who runs Pollok Williamson butchers was anxious to get the street back open.
He said: “Nobody has told us anything and this could be very damaging.
“I think it is unsafe and should be brought down.
“There used to be nine metal beams attaching it to the demolished block which included Woolworths and they were all just cut off.
“Ayr High Street needs to be reopened as soon as possible.”
Shocked Lena Campbell finally rang 999 on Friday night for help after walking round to Ayr police station to find it closed.
She then gave up trying the police non emergency number 101 after nobody answered.
Lena said: “A hole has now opened in the gable and I just didn’t know if the whole thing would come down.
“It was about 50 minutes after it happened that a single female police officer was sent and she then brought in others.”
South Ayrshire Council put out a holding statement at 1pm on Monday – some 65 hours after the incident.
A council spokesman said: “An engineer has been on site to assess the building and we are hopeful the bottom of Ayr High Street can reopen shortly.
“Heras fencing will be placed adjacent to the building to ensure public safety.”
Michael Hitchon, president of Kyle and Carrick Civic Society asked for urgent council action.
He said: “It’s an 18th century building and the council must secure it.
“Then people should be put back in it – in my lifetime people lived in there.
“This town needs housing in its centre and this could be the first of the regeneration.”
Rubble was cascading down from about nine feet up and I got the fright of my life