A Moray nightclub, which fell into disrepair after being ravaged by a fire, is going under the hammer for almost £30,000.
The Jailhouse, in the centre of Elgin, was open for only 18 months in the late 1990s before a blaze engulfed the building and forced it to close.
It has grown increasingly dilapidated since 1998, but the venue’s owners are hoping it can be resurrected.
The Edinburgh-based Wilson’s Auctions will take bids for it at a sale in Dalry tonight.
And the firm has hailed the town centre building as having “potential in abundance” for prospective buyers.
They claim its best hope for redevelopment is as a student accommodation complex, and designers have drawn up images of how its three storeys could house 40 rooms.
Wilson’s property department executive, Cheryl McAulay, said: “Given the nature of the property, and Elgin’s student population at Moray College, it could be best used as student accommodation.
“That is the avenue we are most keen to explore.
“But the building is a blank canvas, and nothing is in place yet.”
The Jailhouse could alternatively be transformed into an apartment block of six flats, with space for businesses, or even returned to its former incarnation as a nightclub.
Wilson’s has dropped their guide price from £35,000 to £29,000 in an effort to attract buyers.
The Jailhouse club was designed to resemble an American prison, with cells, iron bars and even an electric chair which was used to perform mock executions on a dummy prisoner.
The venue opened in early 1997, and many Elgin residents still fondly recall the excited scenes when a Spice Girls tribute act played there at the height of the girl group’s popularity.
The Elgin Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (Cars) has said it could help cover 50% of the renovation costs.
Project officer, Kirsty Conti, said the original building remained structurally safe.
She added: “Certain parts of it will need to be stabilised and improved, but a lot of the walls are still strong.
“We could certainly help with some aspects of the repair, but we would need to look at it carefully.
“The building being put to new use is certainly something that would be welcomed in Elgin, it is a key site for redevelopment.”
Elgin City North councillor, Patsy Gowans, said that siting student accommodation in the heart of Elgin would benefit High Street trade.
She added: “A complex of that nature, bringing young people into Elgin, would liven up the town centre.
“It would have a knock-on effect on cafes there, and could draw more businesses into the centre.”
