CLOSED in 2011, left to rot, and on the brink of being lost forever - you'd be forgiven for thinking we might never have seen The Metro nightclub in Saltcoats open again.
However, tonight [Friday February 16], what seemed like a pipe dream for so many for so long will become reality.
The iconic Hamilton Street venue will swing the doors open once again for the first time since 2011 after the completion of a project that's been nearly five years in the making.
Back in late 2019 two local men, Gary Burns and Stevie Miller, took on ownership of the venue, making it their mission to give Saltcoats its famous nightclub back.
The duo took on what could only be considered a second job bringing the venue back to its former glory.
It has been a slow and challenging process, which comes as no surprise given the state of disrepair which the club had become, but with a bit of help along the way they have made the impossible a reality.
Once considered "Scotland's most famous nightclub", it is now ready to go - and we were given a brief look around only hours before the public return to the venue.
There have been a few bumps on the road, with delays and red-tape holding the owners back - but after securing their permanent licence earlier this week, they were finally given the green light.
Around 500 people are expected to attend opening night - an event organised by promoters Transcend.
Tickets to the event sold out within hours of being made available, and the same was the case when a second event was arranged for Saturday, February 17.
Taking a look at the venue, much has been revamped with a new colour scheme - perhaps a much needed change - over the walls.
A new sound system has been put in place, along with some dazzling lights, with the club more than ready to put on a show.
There are still a few fine touches paying homage to memories of the past, such as the tables created from old speakers which now sit proudly amongst the club's booths.
The front entrance of the club is still to be revamped, though the owners have always encouraged the public to "not judge a book by its cover".
And there is still more to come inside, with the third bar not quite ready to open yet.
This will happen in due course, when even more people can come inside and enjoy The Metro once again.
For more information on the club, their Facebook page is available online at facebook.com/Metrosaltcoats.
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