GIRVAN'S former cinema building has been described as 'Ayrshire's biggest pigeon hole'.

One resident, whose house looks onto the cinema, has had to use his own props to prevent the building for collapsing.

The state of the building has been on the minds of The Girvan Town Team for sometime who want answers and a resolution to the problem.

Mike Newall, head of services at South Ayrshire Council, attended the most recent public meeting to explain that the council had tried to contact the owner but had not yet received any feedback.

Mr Newall said: "There has been a meeting with the elected members about the state of the building and we know there is a lot of concern. 

"Building standards and Environmental Health have inspected the building so they can respond to the concerns of the residents.

"We have laid baits but we have not caught any rats yet. That's not to say they are not there, we just have not identified them yet. 

"We thought the building had changed hands recently and it is Baron Bloom who is responsible for it but ownership mysteriously keeps changing so that he does not have to deal with the problem.

"The building is not regarded as an imminent danger it is just a nuisance for those who live in the area."

A letter has been sent, from South Ayrshire Council, to Baron Bloom, asking him to deal with the problem. But they must give him enough time to respond before the council can take matters further.

Ann McGinnis, said: "There are people on Dalrymple Street who are afraid to open their windows because of the pigeons flying about."

Another concerned resident said that the former cinema was 'the biggest pigeon hole in Ayrshire'. 

Cllr Alec Clark commented: "Pigeons are going in through the roof. There is also faeces inside which is why rodents are not falling for the bait - they are not hungry.

"I am only giving my personal view, which is given by the residents that live around this building. We need to get expert advice. 

The building has been held up by props for two years now. But the council say cannot spend money to improve a property which they do not own.