Police launch probe into 'wilful' fire at Dunblane mansion once owned by hotel tycoon

Police are treating a devastating fire at a derelict property in Dunblane as deliberate after firefighters tackled the large blaze through the night.

Emergency services raced to the property – believed to be the abandoned home of Cypriot hotel magnate Sir Reo Stakis – near Ochiltree, Dunblane, shortly before 4.45pm on Wednesday.

The property lies in close proximity to the LivingWell Health Club, located on the grounds of Dunblane Hydro.

Thick plumes of smoke could be seen over the town for miles as fire crews battled into the early hours of Thursday to bring the fire under control.

Nobody was injured in the fire.

The Observer understands that the property – Grant House – was once owned by Sir Reo Stakis, who ran Stakis Hotels, up until his death in Stirling in 2001.

He is buried at Dunblane Cemetery.

Sir Reo Stakis bought Dunblane Hydro in 1962, taking it over when it was in a state of disrepair, and brought it back to life.

Stakis sold his empire to the Hilton Group for £1.2billion in 1999.

It remains unclear who owns the property at the centre of the fire at present but in recent years it had lay unoccupied.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) sent four fire engines and specialist resources to the scene, where firefighters worked overnight and extinguished a fire affecting the large derelict building.

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A SFRS spokesperson said: “Crews worked to make the area safe before leaving the scene at 4.37am on Thursday, April 25.

“No casualties have been reported.”

However, Police Scotland is treating the blaze as deliberate.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Emergency services attended and there are no reports of any injuries.

“The fire is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with information into the fire is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting the incident number 2562 of April 24.

Residents across the town were left concerned over the blaze and its close proximity to Dunblane Hydro, but the Observer understands that the hotel was unaffected.

Some townsfolk reported discoloured water coming through their taps at properties close to the scene.

This was deemed safe to use and had become discoloured due to the SFRS using hydrants to extinguish the flames.

Stirling Council is now working to make the land secure.

A spokesperson said: “The building is now in a dangerous state and we are working to secure its perimeter, with the owner responsible for costs.

“We would ask all members of the public to stay away and respect the safety cordon we are putting in place.”

In recent years, the property has become a hotspot for vandals.

In September 2022, the Youtube channel Escapade published video footage of the inside of the derelict property which showed it had fallen into a state of disrepair and been targeted by vandals.

The eerie footage show many of the belongings of Mr Stakis still within the building.

The fire was the latest to engulf a derelict building in the Stirling area in a matter of weeks.

Earlier this month, historic Langgarth House, in the grounds of Stirling Council’s headquarters at Viewforth, was gutted in massive blaze.

The B-listed building suffered extensive damage, including to part of the roof and upper floor.

Two teenagers appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court in connection with the incident at Langgarth House.