The Largs Fiddlers Nightclub has had a brief stay of execution after Storm Dennis halted its demolition on Saturday.

The former dance venue has been a mainstay of the clubbing scene for over 25 years but its continued operation had proved to be a struggle in recent years.

Despite attracting some big names including boy band 5ive to the venue, as well as top class DJs including Radio Clyde's George Bowie, a general downturn in clubbing resulted in The Fidds' closure.

The walls are expected to come tumbling down this weekend as owner Quilly Clark has sold the venue on to the adjacent Pearson's Garage who are extending their car display area.

Quilly, who opened the nightclub in the early 1990s, has swapped the late night clubbing scene for Largs seafront where he operates the summer amusements and couples come to dance to Perry Como and Frank Sinatra on a sunny day!

The 'Fiddlers' and 'Oceans' night spot had a licence for 380 customers - and used to be open up to four nights a week during the heyday of the clubbing scene till the early hours of the morning.

Quilly said: "It is the end of an era.

"In a way I am relieved as it means no more late nights - after 28 years enough was enough and I can look forward to some weekend time and most of all - an early bed!

"Quite often I wouldn't get to bed on a Saturday night till 3.30am and then I had to be up at 8am the next morning to go and clean up.

"It would have been nice if it had stayed on as a dance venue but the times are changing."

Indeed, the last time the Fiddlers was open it attracted some top names including the pop band 5ive as well as a number of top DJs but even with that it wasn't enough to keep the nightclub open.

Quilly recalled: "When we opened it was 1990 - it was house music, and then indie music with Oasis, Blur and Pulp, and then the rave scene.

Some big charity events took place at The Fiddlers such as a Full Monty night, while Largs Thistle's Scottish Cup winning team of 1994 visited after their big win.

At one point, The Fiddlers and Oceans Nightclub had as many as 20 staff.

Quilly laughed and said it was more an older crowd he was attracting to dance after John and Patricia Irvine stopped to enjoy a dance on the promenade next to his seaside amusements last year in a video posted online which went viral.

And right up to its last days, The Fidds was still providing long lasting memories for regulars.

Largs man Gary Ennis, who made headlines three years ago when he took to the stage to show off his rapping skills with 5ive for a live song at The Fiddlers said: "It'll be sad to see the Fiddlers go.

"I have some great memories from the early 90's in there dancing to Technotronic.

"More recently I had the pleasure of signing along with 5ive when they performed a gig in December 2017.

"I'll admit to being a huge 5ive fan in my younger days, so when offered the mic I didn't think twice about joining in!"

Ross Pearson, has worked for the family garage business next door since 1992, said: "We are basically knocking down The Fiddlers to provide an extended car space, and it will getting tarred over.

"I remember going to the Fiddlers to dance there as a young man - I remember some big club nights with top DJs - it attracted the cream of the crop.

"The building has been there a lot further back as it used to be the Largs Thistle social club in the late 1970s, and before that it was The Tavern pub.

"It is the end of an era and quite sad in some ways - a lot of pubs and nightclubs are closing these days and not being replaced.

"It was meant to be getting knocked down last weekend but Storm Dennis stopped that from happening.

"We couldn't have the cherry pickers swinging around in the wind - so the Fiddlers will be here until the weekend when the diggers are due to return."

The ground floor 'Oceans' area was regularly used for private functions and had a capacity for 210 and has its own half-moon shaped bar, dance floor, DJ booth along with finished seating areas and lighting. T

The upper 'Fiddlers' floor of the property was the main trading area and had a capacity for 170.