Demolition crews have begun tearing down the iconic River City set, marking the end of an era
The fictional district of Shieldinch, home to 24 years of storylines, will disappear from screens in August following the BBC’s decision to axe Scotland’s last soap.
New images taken by our photographer show the once-bustling Dumbarton set in ruins, with debris, an excavator, and the Tall Ship pub still standing.
Filming concluded in April, and the last episode promises a final showdown between characters Lenny Murdoch and Harry Foulkes.
The Tall Ship pub and Oyster Cafe, once at the heart of the show, are among the buildings being demolished.
Actor Stephen Purdon, who played Shellsuit Bob for the show's entire run, posted a photo of the demolition on Instagram with the caption: “A home from home for 24 years.”
In May it was reported that the site had been sold to Turnberry Homes for £2.1 million.
The sale went ahead despite a campaign to preserve it as a film and TV production facility.
BBC Scotland had been leasing the studios for £150,000 a year, with the lease set to end in September.
They were recruited by Maureen Hascoet, boss of production company Firewalker Pictures.
Despite raising £5 million to keep the studios operational, the offer was rejected by site owners Westerwood Properties.
Hascoet said: "The sale confirms the wider concern many of us in the industry had.
"I’m extremely disappointed that a fully funded proposal to retain Dumbarton Studios as a working film and TV facility wasn’t successful.
"Recent meetings have shown we are far from done feeling the compounding effects of the loss of Dumbarton Studios.
"I hope it becomes a cautionary tale and sparks a broader conversation about how Scotland values, protects and develops long-term screen infrastructure."
The Dumbarton site was also used to film popular comedies Still Game and Two Doors Down.
