THE demolition of Moffat’s dilapidated Mercury Motor Inn will finally begin next week.
The eyesore building, which has sat empty for more than 20 years, is now owned by Equorium Property Company Ltd (EPCL), a subsidiary of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM).
They were granted permission from the council to bulldoze it back in November, at an estimated cost of about £150,000.
And on Monday, an agent on behalf of EPCL confirmed to Moffat and District Community Council that a contractor has been appointed to carry
out the demolition and that it would commence on Monday, February 19.
The agent stated: “I’ve been advised that my clients have now appointed the main contractor for the demolition the former Mercury Hotel.
“The demolition works should be commencing on site next week, and are scheduled to be complete by the end of March.
“My clients are still working on the proposals for the cleared site, and we will keep the community council updated on these once progressed.”
Since closing in 1999, there have been a numerous campaigns to have the abandoned inn demolished. However, EWM and EPCL have previously alluded to plans to redevelop the former hotel.
In 2015 there was talk of transforming the Mercury into a state-of the-art training centre the by Chefs in Scotland company. But requests submitted by the Moffat-based recruitment agency to take over the land were never answered by EWM.
Campaigner turned community councillor Mick Barker took on the mission to get action at the derelict hotel last year, and now that there is light at the end of the tunnel he intends to be there to watch it come down.
Mick said: “We await details of the car park that is slated to be put there in its place. Good news!
“I will be there next Monday to photograph the first acts of demolition!”
