Only a couple of hours before, this building had a full roof and was in good condition
It took only a few hours for a disused primary school in Helensburgh to be ravaged by fire. The school was built in the early 19th century but had lain disused for many years after the council opened a new, replacement school. A few days ago, there were reports of youths smashing the windows and vandalising the property. Sadly, a couple of days later, the building was ravaged by fire and destroyed. A building that had stood the test of time for more than 100 years was brought to its knees. Why? Because it was just lying empty. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. But, unfortunately, the demolition crews have moved in to bring this listed building to the ground. Unfortunately, this is what lies in store for many empty buildings: vandalism, fire, destruction and, ultimately, demolition.
We should conserve historic buildings like this old school; they are part of our heritage. They need to be brought back into use long before events like this fire are allowed to happen.
Fire extinguished – this once attractive building will now be demolished
In 2016, joiner, Stephen Taylor bought a derelict shop in Birkenhead at auction. The property was in such poor condition that the auctioneer's guide price was a mere £10,000 – £12,000. On the day of the auction, Stephen ended up paying £26,000 and the property was his.
That's me, back in the 1970s – I've been waiting for years to use this pic!
I was going to go for a black and white photo – a professional photoshoot, looking pensive. I decided against it – it just wasn't Insta ready! Not everyone can rock a green collar on tartan. My only regret is you can't appreciate the depth of that collar!