A YEAR after a Dunfermline restaurant was destroyed by fire, a senior Fife Councillor has said support is being provided to try and restore the city centre's heritage quarter.

Khushi's went up in flames last April after a blaze broke out in a flat above the Canmore Street restaurant.

Neighbouring businesses were forced to shut and while some reopened, Lourenzos nightclub is still to open back its doors.

Emergency crews were called to Canmore Street on April 21 after a fire broke out in the flat above the restaurant.

Dunfermline Press: Firefighters tackle the Kushi's blaze.Firefighters tackle the Kushi's blaze. (Image: Steve Ritchie)

Road closures surrounding the building were not lifted until June 14 and two neighbouring businesses, Fabric and Lourenzos, were forced to shut for an extended period while safety inspections took place.

Fabric re-opened on June 1 last year but Lourenzos has not reopened or revealed if and when it will welcome back customers.

Planning permission for repairs and alterations to Khushi's was granted in December with proposals which would see the creation of a smaller restaurant and several flats.

Khushi's opened on Canmore Street in 2008 and the "long road to recovery" includes turning more of the property into residential use.

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Before the fire, the four-storey, category C listed building was broken into multiple uses.

The basement was used for restaurant storage, the ground and first floors were used for the restaurant itself, and the second and third floors were residential.

However, the new plans will see the residential areas expanded and the restaurant area reduced.

Speaking to the Press after the first anniversary of the fire, Councillor James Calder, who is convener of the City of Dunfermline Area Committee, expressed hope that the area of the city centre would be restored as soon as possible.

Dunfermline Press: Firefighters on scene at the Kushi's blaze.Firefighters on scene at the Kushi's blaze. (Image: Steve Ritchie)

"From the council's perspective, it is never ideal to have business premises out of action for any length of time," he said.

"We understand it is not necessarily easy as a businesses try to get all their ducks in a row in these situations.

"It is about providing as much support as we can but understanding it is private businesses fundamentally. Thinking about the area in general, ideally we would want to see the situation be resolved so that businesses can continue trading again.

"It is not just for the businesses concerned there but for the wider environment in the area in Dunfermline. It is not ideal when you have all the scaffolding up.

"The heritage quarter too which is the key area for Dunfermline in terms of tourism so we want to get the buildings in a condition like before."

Both Khushi's and Lourenzo's have been contacted for comment.