THE crumbling state of an iconic Scottish building said to have one of the finest views in world golf has angered politicians and officials of the game.
Anger is mounting in St Andrews over the "shocking" condition of the former Hamilton Hall student residence, which overlooks the18th green of the Old Course.
The landmark Victorian property, which featured in the film Chariots of Fire, has been em
pty since it was bought from St Andrews University by an American real estate firm in 2004 at a reputed price of £22 million.
Politicians, locals and officials at international golf's governing body, the R&A, have voiced concerns over the building's future, especially with the Open Championship returning to St Andrews in 2010.
Several windows in the six-storey property have been smashed and others are boarded up. Rubbish and other debris litters the rear. There are several broken vents and some windows are covered with polythene.
Fife MSP Ted Brocklebank has now raised the issue with the owners, Rhode Island-based Wasserman Real Estate Capital. He said its condition was "extremely concerning" and added: "With many thousands of international visitors expected to visit St Andrews as part of the year of Homecoming in 2009 it is inconceivable that such an important building should remain in its current apparently abandoned state."
The full article contains 228 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
