A historic Broughty Ferry landmark is just weeks away from demolition.
Cambustay Hotel, which was built in the mid-1800s, is to be torn down to make way for a new care home.
Trees around the former Victorian villa have already been chopped down.
And developers confirmed bulldozers would move in on the site “within the next six weeks”.
Rich history
The house was built by Thomas Taylor, a Ferry jute baron, who owned Thomas Taylor and Co.
Mr Taylor was a pillar of the community and one of the founding members of St Stephen’s Church in Broughty Ferry.
An early mention of the property was in 1873, when a notice was placed in The Courier offering a reward for “the return of a Scotch Terrier pup”.
After Mr Taylor’s son’s death, Cambustay began to be let as a boarding house from 1941.
From there, it was converted into a hotel with an adjoining pub.
And more recently it was taken over by Vintage Pubs and converted into a restaurant.
After closing in the spring of 2021, the unlisted building is now set to be torn down.
And plans are in place for a 54-bed care home on the site overlooking the River Tay.
End of an era
However, there is sadness locally over the end of an era for the old mansion.
Former Cambustay Hotel waitress Laura Souter said the loss of the building was “a waste”.
She said: “I worked there when I was 15. They had live music every Saturday night.
“Then it changed to the Kittywake and it wasn’t quite the same.
“I don’t know why it couldn’t have been developed like the house down the road. It’s such a waste to lose it.”
Local resident Gordon Souter has fond memories of the building.
He said: “I got engaged here. There used to be the wee fountain bar. There was the fountain and the pond right out the front.
“It was a lovely place for the locals.
“It’s a shame they’ve let it run down the way it has.
“They could’ve put nice houses around it but kept the building. It’s going to be a loss.
“They’ll demolish that and put up a square, modern thing.
“It’s a shame, because it’s such a nice, old building,” he said.
The site will be taken over by Meallmore care group, who will build a modern 54-bed home on the site.
A spokeswomen for Meallmore said: “We have planning permission for a 54-bed care home for the elderly.
“Work has commenced on site and once complete it will deliver high quality care for the elderly in the community who need support.
“The home will also provide a range of employment opportunities for local people.
“Meallmore is a leading provider of nursing, residential and specialist care in Scotland with over 30 years’ experience and is committed to exceptional standards of quality care.”