RESIDENTS and shop owners who have waited seven years for repairs to their homes and businesses said there is finally 'light at the end of the tunnel'.

The Evening Times first told in 2011 how the Q Club snooker hall collapse had caused damage to tenement buildings on Victoria Road.

A resulting stalemate between insurers Aviva and Glasgow City Council left residents stuck in the middle.

The collapse and subsequent demolition caused damage to homes and to businesses and left the seven tenement blocks without a back court, drying area or bin area.

Yesterday First Minister Nicola Sturgeon held a meeting of businesses, residents, Aviva representatives and Glasgow City Council.

A deal has finally been brokered that will see the shops rebuilt and a backcourt area reinstated in two stages.

Business owner Brian Callander said: "We are pleased with the outcome of today's meeting.

"It feel like light at the end of the tunnel but once I see the first brick come down then I will start to relax.

"We have had so many things rear their ugly head and hold up the situation but hopefully now things will move on."

The roof of the Q Club, behind Victoria Road, and flanked by Allison Street and Kingarth Street, began to cave in in 2011.

Glasgow City Council’s building control team deemed it unsafe.

City Property, an arm’s-length council company, tasked the now-liquidated Hunter Demolition with demolishing the property.

Since then, residents have lived with the aftermath, including problems with sewage and the derelict back court.

Ms Sturgeon said: "This was a constructive meeting with insurers and a senior council officer who has been working very closely on this.

"There are some legal complexities that still require to be addressed but all parties agreed to focus on progressing the repairs.

"I will be keeping in close contact with insurers and the council and will reconvene a further meeting in a couple of months to provide an update."

In 2016 the council offered a global settlement deal to residents in exchange for a pledge not to sue for uninsured losses.

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “We continue to discuss proposals for the restoration of the back court and associated work in neighbouring properties with owners and their representatives, and we are hopeful that final arrangements can be confirmed as soon as possible.”

A spokeswoman for Aviva said the company would not comment on the issue.