Two women from Fife experienced an unexpected mix-up on Sunday morning as residents mistook them for forensic police at the former Greenside Hotel in Leslie. The incident unfolded when concerned locals spotted the duo dressed in white cleaning suits outside the 15-bedroom building, prompting speculation of a major crime scene.
Initial reports on social media claimed a police presence, which led to heightened concerns within the community. However, the individuals in question were identified as Sofia Anderson, 16, and Gillian McIlravie, 34, who were engaged in a cleaning job at the vacant hotel.
Gillian, who also works as a security guard, expressed her surprise when approached for comment. “We came and had a look around on Saturday night to see what we were needing to do. There had been people living here in April but it’s now empty. We were helping someone out to clean the property as a favour,” she explained to The Courier. She further acknowledged the misunderstanding, stating, “I could see why people might have thought we were forensics officers.”
Sofia, who is employed as a housekeeper, noted that the pair were only working on the premises for the day. “We have watched a wee bit of CSI but we’ve just been doing a bit of vacuuming and cleaning. To be fair, when we came in here in the dark on Saturday, it was quite scary,” she remarked, adding humour to the situation by mentioning the amusing comments circulating on social media.
Local residents also noted their bewilderment regarding the incident. One neighbour commented, “I read it on two local Facebook groups and saw the picture of people in hazmat suits. At no point did I see any police cars and I did start to think, are folk just cleaning the place?”
The Greenside Hotel has been undergoing changes; in 2021, it received approval for conversion into a homeless hostel. This recent cleaning endeavour reflects ongoing efforts to repurpose the building, which has remained unoccupied since earlier this year.
Source: Noah Wire Services