“IT IS not looking good at all” for the Kinema Restaurant as owners face a £60,000 bill to repair storm damage.

The Press has been told that the premises has been hit by “extensive water damage” after a severe storm in May and that the restaurant “won’t be opening in the near future”.

Debris was seen flying off the building’s roof and police reacted by cordoning off the site over fears for public safety.

The Carnegie Drive restaurant had already been closed since coronavirus lockdown measures were introduced and it is unknown when they will be able to re-open to customers with scaffolding still in place outside the venue.

The global fusion buffet’s Facebook page has also been deactivated.

A building standards application to make alterations to the restaurant, including repairing the roof, has been submitted to Fife Council by DM Hall on behalf of the owners.

The application states that the value of work will cost £60,000 to carry out.

The Press asked for a statement from the business on Monday but they did not respond before the paper’s print deadline yesterday (Wednesday).

However, a public notice did appear on the restaurant’s website on Tuesday having previously been empty before our request for comment.

The statement said: “Kinema Restaurant is currently closed due to external roof damage that was a result of a storm earlier this year whilst closed during COVID-19 lockdown.

“We are working hard to repair both internal and external damages and we hope to be re-opening as soon as possible.

“We look forward to welcoming you through our doors when we re-open.”

But one source told the Press this week: “It’s not looking good as there is extensive water damage to the property due to the known problems with the roof. The restaurant won’t be opening in the near future.”

The damage to the roof is understood to be serious and Fife Council stepped in initially on May 25 to ensure any remedial works were carried out as quickly as possible.

The council is no longer involved and the owners resumed control of the building repairs.

The iconic former Dunfermline ballroom was restored by Kirkcaldy businesswoman Yanli Zhao. It had been empty for nearly a decade as its stint as Velocity nightclub came to an end.

Permission to turn the club into a ‘world-buffet-style’ restaurant was granted in October 2016 before the proposal became reality nearly two years ago in December 2018.