Smoke can be seen coming from the first floor in what used to be an office area between Kitty’s and the next door Candy Bar/Thunder Road.

Four fire crews are at the scene along with a high reach vehicle.

They were called around 6:20am amid reports of a blaze of the nightclub which closed its doors in 2019.

Roads around the former nightclub have been cordoned off, including the whole of the Town Square

Appliances from Kirkcaldy and Methil stations were sent to the scene. Police have cordoned off the roads in front of the adjacent Town Square, as well as Wemyssfield leading to the bus station. Services may be diverted until it is re-opened.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire And Rescue Service said: “We received an alert at 6.20am to reports of a fire at commercial premises on Hunter Street Kirkcaldy. Four fire crews from Kirkcaldy and Methil have been deployed and remain at the scene.”

Plans to turn the building - which was previously the Auld Post Hotel and before that the town’s main Post Office - into flats were put on hold amid rising costs, and the building is back on the open market.

In December, Hunter Street Properties was given permission by Fife Council to convert the former nightclub and adjacent bar into a total of 19 flats.

Fire crews outside the former nightclub in Kirkcaldy this morning (Pic: Fife Free Press)

The former club was set to be turned into flats, and a new first floor added to the single storey west wing facing on to Wemyssfield to form four two-storey houses, and six flats created in its east wing facing on to Hunter Street. Six flats would be formed within the east wing facing on to Hunter Street - three main door flats at ground floor level, two at first floor level, and a small one-bedroom flat to the attic.

The developer has been in discussions with the building’s owner to try to deliver the project, but rising costs saw it put on the market by property consultants, Falconer.

The planning application for re-development was formally withdrawn this week.

Kitty’s was one of Kirkcaldy’s biggest nightclubs launched originally by Remo Macioicia who also opened the Auld Post Hotel above it.

It was subsequently taken over by Mario Caira who invested significant sums on several refurbishments.

Fire breaks out at former Kitty’s Nightclub in Kirkcaldy