A north-east hotel that was wrecked by fire last year has gone back on the market after failing to find a buyer.
Macduff’s Highland Haven Hotel was so badly damaged after the blaze that council engineers had no option but to tear it down.
And now the plot where it once stood, on Shore Street, is back up for auction a month after it failed to find a buyer in Edinburgh.
The land is being sold with a view to returning it back to the use.
Originally, Glasgow auctioneers Future Property Auctions were listing the ground as having a guide price of £95,000.
But after generating little interest, they have slashed its value to just £72,000 – almost £600,000 less than what it was last sold for, complete with onsite hotel.
Future Property Auctions have claimed the project to develop a presence in Macduff is an “excellent redevelopment opportunity” which would boast resale value.
It added: “The site would suit a builder or developer, and with stunning views over the harbour, redevelopment would sure to be a hit.”
The Highland Haven had been inactive since about 2010 and had attracted a reputation locally for housing squatters.
At the time of the fire, it was offered for sale by chartered surveyors Shepherd.
A resident described the building as “an accident waiting to happen”, the morning after the blaze.
Around 70 firefighters from stations across Aberdeenshire battled the flames at the Highland Haven for more than four hours on the night of the incident.
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council, which tore down the building at its own expense, said it was monitoring the outcome of the land’s sale.
“The council is aware of the auction of the site of the Highland Haven Hotel and is monitoring the outcome,” he added.
“The council is still seeking to recoup the monies spent in making safe and clearing the site.”
The auction, which will take place in Edinburgh, begins at 7pm on August 4.