The Belmont Temperance Hotel was built around 1890, and is shown in the centre of these two first images, just to the right of the bridge over the railway line. It was a three storey building, busiest during the summer months. It must have had great sea views from its upper floors and couldn't have been handier for the railway station.
Sadly, on 22 January 1926 the hotel was gutted by fire. Mr Hugh McLean was the proprietor at the time and on this date only he, his wife and his child were occupying the hotel. The Dundee Courier of the following day described how...
"In the early hours of the morning Mr McLean was awakened by the insistent barking of his dog and, assuming that something must be wrong, he made investigation, and found the lower part of the building a mass of flames. The occupants promptly made their escape in night attire, and were received at a friend's house."
The Buckhaven and Methil Fire Brigade were called just before five in the morning, however, by the time they arrived it was clear that the hotel was beyond saving and the focus was on protecting the surrounding buildings and railway. A shortage of water hampered their work and use had to be made of the sea, although this proved to be challenging as the tide was far out and the hotel situated in an elevated position. Seven hours later the fire brigade left but the hotel's interior was completely destroyed, the roof had fallen in and only the walls remained. The image below shows the shell of the building which remained for a few years after the fire, before its demolition.
"In the early hours of the morning Mr McLean was awakened by the insistent barking of his dog and, assuming that something must be wrong, he made investigation, and found the lower part of the building a mass of flames. The occupants promptly made their escape in night attire, and were received at a friend's house."
The Buckhaven and Methil Fire Brigade were called just before five in the morning, however, by the time they arrived it was clear that the hotel was beyond saving and the focus was on protecting the surrounding buildings and railway. A shortage of water hampered their work and use had to be made of the sea, although this proved to be challenging as the tide was far out and the hotel situated in an elevated position. Seven hours later the fire brigade left but the hotel's interior was completely destroyed, the roof had fallen in and only the walls remained. The image below shows the shell of the building which remained for a few years after the fire, before its demolition.
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