A FORMER Stevenston bar was listed on the property market last week, having lain empty since 2014.

The old Rankin’s Bar building, on Stevenston’s Townhead Street, has been considered an “eyesore” in the community for some time.

And it appeared the property was available to purchase last week, as it was listed on by Future Property Auctions to be sold on Thursday, June 30.

The derelict building was listed up for a starting price of £65,000, though the property would undoubtedly require a large amount of refurbishment.

Just over a year ago, May 2021, North Ayrshire Council had agreed to order the current owner of the property to tidy up the “eyesore”.

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They contacted then owner, James Duffy, in February, March and April of that year asking for refuse to be removed and windows to be boarded up. There was no reply. Duffy purchased the property back in 2018.

The site was branded one of many properties in the authority with similar issues, and is directly adjacent a very recent area of interest for the council.

The site of the former Lonsdale Bar in Stevenston, which is across the road from the old Rankin’s, was recently debated in a full council meeting.

The SNP group was questioned over their plans for the former site of the Lonsdale Bar by Stevenston councillor John Sweeney last month.

Cllr Sweeney then urged the council to ‘turn our attention to other problem sites like the old Rankin’s pub building’.

When the Herald checked the listing as it was due to go to auction, it was no longer on the site. A Future Property auctions spokesperson was unable to say if the listing was removed, or the property had sold.