Long term speculation about the former Wemyss Bay Hotel has been laid to rest after Co-op applied to erect a supermarket at the location.

The 'News' revealed last September that the Co-operative were ''actively looking' at Wemyss Bay as a candidate for one of their food stores.

It is good news for Wemyss Bay which has shown a reversal in trends across the country when a new post office opened at the turn of the year after other communities have lost their P.O services in Millport and Fairlie.

The former hotel in Greenock Road is set to be demolished as permission is sought for a unit which would contain a shop, cafe/restaurant or hot food takeaway as part of the redevelopment.

A statement, which is part of the planning application, says: “The proposed development is intended to provide a modern, small, local supermarket to improve local access to facilities within the catchment of the local settlements of Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie.

“Existing convenience floorspace does not meet the requirements of the area.

“Significant convenience expenditure is leaking from the area, particularly to Greenock and Largs.

“The majority of this leakage will always continue because of the scale and nature of the retail offers in Greenock and Largs.

“Nevertheless, the local area is currently poorly serviced in terms of the scale and nature of local convenience shopping facilities.

“The only convenience stores available locally are ‘top-up’ type stores.

“A small, appropriately-sized, local supermarket would provide local facilities which would bridge the gap between the small local shops and the major destinations in Greenock and Largs.”

The former hotel has been empty for several years and has fallen into a state of disrepair.

Planning chiefs at Inverclyde Council are now considering the proposal.