A haunting photo has emerged after Edinburgh's iconic Jenners sign was taken down in a "surprise" move.
Edinburgh Live reported on Thursday how workmen were pictured both on the roof and the ground floor of the building as a host of different signage was taken down, including the gold Jenners sign on Princes Street.
A striking image has now been shared on Twitter, which appears to show what has become of the sign after it was removed from the building.
Sharing the photo of the individual letters left against a wall alongside a historic image of the department store in its heyday, the Twitter user Drew wrote: "How it started [v] How it's going."
The owner of the site, Anders Polvsen, has insisted that they did not give authorisation for the removal of the signage and stated that an investigation will take place into why it was removed.
A spokesperson for Anders Krogh Vogdrup - the director of AAA United, which owns the Jenners building, the BBC : "We are very surprised seeing the signage being taken down. We are convinced that the signage is part of the listed building.
"We have not discussed any such step with Sports Direct, and certainly not given any authorization to do so. We will look in to this matter, contacting Sports Direct.
"We can only once again emphasize that the Jenners building of Edinburgh is an institution and, despite the changing face of retail, it is our aspiration that there will continue to be a retail store for as long as we are its stewards.
"Our involvement in the Jenners building, is first and foremost about helping to preserve a unique historic building in Edinburgh. Already when we acquired the building, we knew that it came with a great deal of responsibility.
"Jenners is an iconic building in Edinburgh, and we take the responsibility very seriously."
In a statement on social media, Edinburgh's heritage watchdog Cockburn Association said: "This appears to be an unauthorised alteration to a listed building, and we will ask the City of Edinburgh Council to investigate and take any necessary enforcement action."
It comes after it was announced by the Frasers Group that they would not be continuing their tenancy in the building, meaning the store would cease trading after 183 years.
