Gutted as town firm on brink
Owner has traded there for 42 years
A fire that ripped through the roof of a property in Ayr High Street could signal the death knell for one of the town’s longest serving independent retailers.
The Post can exclusively reveal how the World of Art store and gallery has been extensively damaged as a result of the fire shortly after 2am on Sunday.
And devastated owner Wendy Russell admitted that the blaze may have cruelly ended a trading association with the town stretching back decades.
Speaking in the wake of the weekend fire Wendy, 70, told the Post: “It has been a very distressing time for us.
“Having traded at this address for 42 years we are devastated that it has come to this.
“I am now 70 years- old and am unable to start again- even if the property were habitable.
“But all our stock has been destroyed. And even though we will have some insurance cover, it is likely to fall well short and can never compensate for the loss to our livelihoods.
“We think we were probably the longest serving independent retailer left in the town.”
It’s understood that the fire took hold in the attic space above the shop – just next door to Pollok Williamson Butchers – prompting a late night emergency response.
Six fire engines raced tackled the fire.
Thankfully there were no reports of injuries.
The High Street and Sandgate were sealed off to traffic for a time on Sunday, and on Monday restrictions on pedestrians were in force with a cordon placed around the affected area.
Now an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Manager at Pollok Williamson, Clark McCrindle, told The Post: “The fire’s happened above the cobblers and the art shop mainly and we’re quite lucky in that there’s a close between the flats and us, which contained the fire to that area.
“Unfortunately, due to safety risks of falling glass, or debris, they have put fencing right up until the end of our shop.
“I came in on Monday at about 7am and the police put me back out at 7.10am.
“It’s been really difficult since the coronavirus pandemic and now this ens.”
The Post has learned that a skip was due to be delivered yesterday ( Tuesday) so that the clean- up operation could begin in earnest.
Clark said: “Unfortunately the World of Art Shop is wrecked. The whole shop is completely wrecked inside, it’s all flooded.”
A fire service spokesman added: “We were alerted at 2.15am on Sunday to reports of a fire on High Street, Ayr. Operations Control mobilised six appliances to the scene.”