Pleased to see former hotel site progess
Work is going well to tear down the former Strathearn Hotel on the corner of Crieff’s King Street and Commissioner Street.
The extensions to the original building have been demolished and now workmen are tackling the main structure from the top down.
The dilapidated structure, which was included on the Scottish Buildings at Risk Register in 2011, has been causing consternation for residents for years.
Harry Thomason, chair of Crieff Community Council, was among hundreds of Crieff residents who signed a petition in 2019 calling for something to be done about the beleaguered building.
He commented: “It’s the best thing that has happened in Crieff for a long time. We have campaigned for years about this. Gaynor Reid of Mojos set up a petition over two years ago to get something done. I’m glad it is coming down. The quicker it’s down the better.”
Funding for the work was secured after elected members on Perth and Kinross Council voted to reallocate some of the region’s portion of the Scottish Government Town Centre Fund, originally destined for improvements in Pitlochry to Crieff, with £ 265,000 going towards the demolition of the Strath capital eyesore.
Ailsa Campbell of neighbouring property Campbells Bakery, which abuts the structure, is also pleased that work is under way.
She told the Herald: “We are thrilled that it is coming down now. It is very sad that it was left to deteriorate in the first place but since it has been left to decay for over a decade we are pleased that it has come down.
“I have to say, we are impressed with the guy in the digger that is taking it down. We are in regular contact with him. His skill is amazing. He is being very careful and has a lot of experience and is very sensitive to other buildings next to the Strathearn.”
And Mrs Campbell believes it won’t be too long before the trickier part of the process begins, which will probably entail part of King Street being closed off – although access to shops will be maintained.
She added: “They said that it would take about 12 weeks from when they started which was around September 19/20 but on Monday they said they expected to be working on the King Street side of it in a couple of weeks.”