Police have launched a probe into the cause of a deliberate fire which ripped through the former Airth Castle Hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.
The former wedding venue has been left empty since the owners behind the site went bust in March 2023, citing “unmanageable debts” accrued from the Covid pandemic and rising energy bills.
Since then, there have been multiple reports of vandalism at the disused house with police stepping up patrols in an effort to quell the issues.
But shortly after 1am on Monday morning, emergency services were called to the Airth Castle site as a blaze ripped through the interior of the building.
The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, with no injuries reported.
Investigations are now underway to establish the cause of the fire, which police have labelled as “wilful”.
Inspector Neil Wotherspoon, Grangemouth Police Office, said: “I’m appealing to anyone who has information about this fire to come forward.
“Were you in the area at the time and saw anyone acting suspiciously?
“Do you have private CCTV, doorbell footage or a dashcam which may have picked up anything of significance?
“If you do, please get in touch with police.
“We are also aware of a number of reports recently of people attending the former castle and hotel to take pictures and videos.
“I want to stress, this is extremely dangerous given the condition of the building and no one should enter.
“Officers carry out regular patrols of the area and there is fencing to restrict access.
“We continue to work with partner agencies to discuss deterrent options for the building.”
They have also launched increased safety messaging over the site of anyone attempting to break into the abandoned site.
The closure last year left 26 full-time staff and a number of part-time employees without a job.
One local couple affected by the liquidation was Natalie Dick and Marc Joseph, who were due to be married at Airth Castle in August 2023 – but were instead left with a nerve-shredding last-minute search for a replacement.
They said: “We needed to know what was happening so we drove over to ask.
“We met our wedding controller, and he did look visibly upset at the situation.
“We’re absolutely gutted. It is so much stress to try to find a new venue within five months. We don’t trust the company anymore.
“There is no other venue quite like it.
“We’re just devastated.”