Staff at a Dundee function hall earmarked for demolition have reassured customers that their bookings will be honoured.
The team at Baxter’s Function suite have insisted they are very much open for business and will be continuing to trade as normal for at least the next two years.
The pledge comes after councillors voted through plans to tear down the building in Raglan Street and erect 12 new flats in its place.
Nicola Curran, who has been the manager at Baxter’s for three years, said developer JF Kegs Scotland had promised there was no rush to vacate the premises.
She said: “We are really gutted, but we have been assured that no work will be done for at least two years so we will honour all bookings and take on new ones.
“Some people thought the demolition was going to happen immediately when the decision was made, but that’s not the case.
“We have already lost one booking because of that so if we lose more then it could potentially put 12 people out of work earlier than expected.”
When asked about noise issues cited by planners, Ms Curran said the team had not received any complaints.
In its planning statement to Dundee City Council, JF Kegs said the building’s poor-quality construction and layout meant it made more sense to start from scratch than try to redesignit.
The developer said: “The nature of the surrounding area has evolved in recent years with the revitalisation of many of the historic commercial and industrial sites within the immediate area.
“The resultant redundant and vacant land and buildings have been redeveloped for residential use.
“As a result, this large function suite and social club has caused conflict in terms of noise and anti-social behaviour within what is now a predominantly residential area.
“The existing building offers little scope for reuse; as such a new block of twelve flats with associated parking and amenity space is proposed.”
The venue was built between 1922 and 1926 and was first used as the Craigie Works Welfare Club.
It continued as a working men’s club until around 1989 when the building was split in two to form separate clubhouses – the Elm and Birch suites.
