Two years after being seriously damaged, the future of an Inverness building remains in doubt.
The premises on the corner of Grant Street and Pumpgate Street was previously occupied by a William Hill bookmakers, with flats above.
It was damaged after being struck by a car in January 2021 and is still covered in protective scaffolding.
But Highland Council has faced difficulties making progress with one owner “refusing to engage”.
‘Why is it taking so long?
Remedial work to reinstate the façade started in September and is due to be completed next month.
Dell McClurg, who chairs Merkinch Community Council, says local people are keen for the building to finally get repaired.
“We’re kind of in limbo at the moment. I feel sorry for people who have to walk past and look at this building every day. It’s dragging on too long.
“It’s a lovely building and we don’t want to lose it, we just want it repaired. It’s dragging the place down.
“It should be insured, so why is it taking so long?”
She said the area is busy with shoppers, but also people heading to the Merkinch Local Nature Reserve and walkers using a popular route through South Kessock to visit Carnac Point.
“People from all over the world come here. It’s a lovely area and a hidden jewel.
“We want to see it completed by the summer.”
Following the damage, the council issued a dangerous building notice on each of the two owners.
It also constructed temporary shoring to the façade while reinstatement works could be programmed.
When one of the owners would not assume responsibility, the council instructed a contractor to erect scaffolding to protect the public from falling masonry and potential collapse of the façade.
A council spokeswoman said: “The council’s building standards team and structural engineering teams have been monitoring the building and structural scaffold continuously following the scaffold completion, assessing for movement.
The council has had to act on behalf of the owners
“The building is settling onto the structural scaffold but continues to move, therefore more immediate action is necessary.
“One owner remains reluctant to engage, therefore in the interests of public safety the council again has had to act on behalf of the owners.”
The current work involves taking down the stone façade at first and second-storey levels.
This allows rebuilding from ground up, using where possible the existing stone.
The anticipated costs for reinstatement of the Pumpgate Street building is currently more than £140,000.
Building legislation allows the council to recover any costs incurred in making a building safe.
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