East Kilbride locals have blasted plans to turn the town's biggest eyesore into an off licence.
Once the site of the iconic Stuart Hotel, the plot was left to rot for over a decade, quickly becoming a thorn in the side for locals.
Lanarkshire Live revealed this week how almost half of the derelict land at the entrance to the town centre is now to become a One O One.
Despite local councillors welcoming the plans as an “improvement,” Councillor Jim Wardhaugh hit out over an off licence being the only application a prime town centre site could attract, adding that East Kilbride town centre is “dying”.
Councillor Wardhaugh said: “It is a sad state of affairs when the sixth largest town in Scotland has a prime site in the town centre and we’re reduced to an application for a single-storey off licence.
"I don’t know where we go from this. I mean the town centre is dying, this is just another symptom of how quickly and how badly the situation is deteriorating.”
Locals have also raised concerns over a potential increase in anti-social behaviour which already blights the area.
Commenting on the East Kilbride News Facebook page, Kevin Mackenzie said: “This is how you know the town has hit rock bottom.
"An off licence next to the bus station is just going to fuel anti-social behaviour. This is how to create future problems - shameful.”
Fiona Donaldson added: “This is a disgrace and will do nothing for the town centre.”
Malcolm Macphee posted: “The town centre is dead now, it’s been broken for years.
"It was classed as a flagship for retail but greed from massively hiked up rent has destroyed it. Even now they have the cheek to charge for parking when so many units are empty.”
While Stuart Cormack wrote: "Quite a fall from grace from the brand new hotel/bar/casino that was suggested.
"East Kilbride town centre is absolutely horrific, this sort of shop is only going to make matters worse."
Crichton Hamilton added: "Another nail in the coffin for EK town centre."
After being left to rot for nearly six years, the iconic Stuart Hotel was finally torn down in 2013.
Demolition of the decaying building started after it was deemed ‘unsafe’ following an inspection by South Lanarkshire Council.
Former owners G1 Group were forced to take immediate action when the local authority served an urgent demolition notice on the leisure and nightclub giant.
The G1 Group was granted planning permission in September 2009 to transform the derelict Stuart Hotel into a luxury hotel.
The multi-million pound development was to include a nightclub, restaurant, bars, and a gym.
However, the group claimed in 2011 it could not follow through with the plans because of the financial climate, with the situation becoming a major concern for the town.
The sad, and for many, unnecessary demise of the local landmark and once-thriving social haunt, stirred up mixed emotions for the town.
Local community groups who long-campaigned for the hotel’s restoration, and generations of families in East Kilbride hold many fond memories of the Stuart Hotel in its glory days.
In its heyday, with its grand ballroom and ‘posh’ cocktail bar, the Stuart Hotel was one of the country’s most popular wedding and social venues.
The first new hotel in the town was opened by Scottish and Newcastle Brewers in 1959.
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