AYR’S Station Hotel owner has hit back at concerns the building could collapse within three years.

Dean Yaakob claims that they are making progress with the former hotel which will be redesigned in the next year. He hopes it can be turned into some form of accommodation and office block.

Mr Yaakob explained: “We are invested in the building and making proposals to turn it into standard accommodation.

“We are going to invest quite a lot of money. We have been working on the building for a year and a half, and have already put money into it to turn it around.

“I think if we turned it into a home stay or something smaller it would be more successful but we are working on something different.

“We have something on the pipeline to redesign the hotel in the next year or so because we cannot sell it in that condition. 

“We are planning something else in the next couple of years. We have already spent £2m to sort out the back of the building but we are now looking to the council. We know they need housing.

“We need to show that we are interested in the building as we have been working and listening to concerns for years. When the hotel closed, we had to let go of a lot of people.

“We have spent £300,000 in the last year just putting the front up. We do not want Network Rail to suffer or the train line. We are looking after a historical building.We just need support from the local people as we have been trying to preserve the building.” 

The category B listed building, developed in 1885, has been closed since 2012.

Along with the growth in the roof line and the falling sandstone, there are gutters and drain pipes which need replaced.

Robin Ghosh, of E Design Architecture, has been trying to liaise with South Ayrshire Council to try and come up with a solution. 

Mr Ghosh previously said at a public meeting that he believed the Station Hotel could collapse within three years. 

He explained: “It needs quality investment. There is water ingress, the ceilings are collapsing and there is debris everywhere. It is a health and safety hazard.

“The building will deteriorate completely within three years becoming a danger to the members of the public. When this happens the council will become the owners by default. 

“We are subject to a dangerous building notice, leading to the closure of the railway line. Station Hotel needs to be restored to its former glory but there are limitations.  

“We need to take responsibility for the hotel to drive change, not shy away from it.”

Mr Yaakob wants to assure readers that plans are being put in place to restore the Station Hotel in the next years.