Hoping for bright future in Hope St

Take an Ayr punt for just £ 23,000

For less than the price of a new Ford Mondeo you have the basis of TWO flats.

Ayr is top heavy with crummy town centre property, and some of it has no hope.

Dare I suggest there may be some hope on Hope Street?

The site is well known on the corner of Newmarket Street, principally for the mystifying blocking off long ago of four of the six windows.

It was also home for a long time of sausage roll kings Greggs, though the redeveloped ground floor is not part of this sale.

But for a guide price of £ 23,000, surely there is opportunity?

Vast amounts of work has already been done, getting right back to the stone shell of this old building.

And there is actually loads of space - and eight big sash and case windows to Newmarket Street.

An office - spread over the three floors - is an obvious option.

There is no parking or garden, but in terms of passing footfall, this is a prominent spot opposite the revamped Grain Exchange gallery and market space.

Or even as a storage unit for goods, it makes a pretty cheap overall opportunity.

However it is as two flats - either for sale or rental - where big potential lies.

East Kilbride property firm Brighton & Beck have given a bargain basement guide price of £ 23,000 and will stage an “online auction.”

They say: “This is a fantastic development opportunity in the sought after locale of Ayr.”

They say the building has planning permission to change into two flats.

The upper flat could be a big duplex into the attic space.

The first level has been made completely open plan with all inner room partitions knocked out.

It has been taken right back to the wonderful old rough stone, some of which could be retained as a feature rather than sheeted.

A stone spiral leads to the second and third floors.

The second level is a copy- cat of floor one, again all the hard donkey work has been done, ready for development. The top floor has three rooms, one retaining the original fireplace.

Call Brighton and Beck on 0800 1303341, guide of £ 23,000.

A well known corner Unblock the four windows to let light flood in

Back to the shell You can spot the stone spiral stair

Open space Another large room in the building

Loo- king bad Somewhat lacking in vital facility

Third level One of three rooms at the top