Musselburgh: Groups relocate as council looks at Old Town Hall future

Groups that used the High Street building are having to find new homes by the end of this month.

Organisations affected include Musselburgh Museum, Musselburgh and Fisherrow Trades Band (The Toun Band) and Musselburgh Roads Cycling Club.

This has led to renewed calls for the “historic asset” to be “brought back into use as a showpiece for the community”.

A council spokesperson said: “Musselburgh Old Town Hall was mothballed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In recent years, there has been limited access and, due to the condition of the building and health and safety considerations, there are no current plans to bring it back into use.

“Officers have been supporting groups who previously used the building to find alternative places for their activities.

“The future of the building will be considered as part of the council’s asset review.”

There has been a long-running campaign to have the complex of buildings – which is owned by the Musselburgh Common Good Fund – brought back into full use.

The buildings include:

• The Tolbooth, which is the High Street frontage and originally dates from the late 15th century. Except for the clock tower, it was destroyed in 1544 and rebuilt in 1572. It has been a court, a jail and a police station;
• The Old Town Hall, fronting the square, dates from 1733 and has been a court room and a meeting place for the town council, with a market area beneath;
• The Assembly Hall to the rear of the Town Hall, which was built in 1901 and was the forerunner of the Brunton Hall.

Musselburgh Conservation Society is “most concerned” about the future of the Old Town Hall.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, Barry Turner said: “This is an iconic and unique historic building which is part of the Musselburgh Common Good.

“It has huge potential to attract visitors and help regenerate the ailing High Street if brought back into use.

“Plans have been drawn up – by specialist architects – more than 10 years ago, showing how the building could be reconditioned and made fully accessible, and we know given the status of the building and based on what’s happened elsewhere that funding from outside sources would be available to put them into action.

“We understand that the council has previously said that what happens to the building is up to the community to decide and the conservation society agrees.

“The time has come to give priority to deciding how it should be used and then actually getting it back into use as a showpiece for our community here in Musselburgh.

“We simply cannot understand why this is not happening.”

'Huge amount of work'

Musselburgh Museum and Heritage Group said: “Musselburgh Museum and Heritage Group fully support and concur with the statement from the conservation society.”

Councillor Shona McIntosh, ward member, said: “The Old Town Hall is an important piece of our local heritage, and I would dearly love to see it come back into use.

“I know the Musselburgh Museum and Heritage Group have done a huge amount of work on this, including commissioning consultancy on design and feasibility.

“The council itself sadly does not have the resources to lead on such a project but there would be funding and advice available from a range of sources, that might support a community-led restoration project.

“I hope a solution along these lines can be found – it certainly would be a terrible waste to allow further deterioration of such a historic building.”

Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, commented: “The Old Town Hall and Tolbooth is a building of significant historic significance in Musselburgh.

“It is a shame that it has been empty for so long.

“While I understand that East Lothian Council may not have a practical use for the building or the significant capital required for its redevelopment, I call upon them to re-engage with the community so that this site can find a new chapter as a community asset.”

'Helpful'

A spokesperson for The Toun Band said that they had a free lease of the town hall, having moved there from Stoneyhill Community Centre.

Stoneyhill Community Centre has not been used as a community centre for a number of years.

The band spokesperson said they had been using the town hall to practice every week but had not done so since the building was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The brass band was currently in abeyance but had found a new home at the Hollies Community Hub on High Street.

Mark Cairney, club secretary of Musselburgh Roads Cycling Club, said the club was in the process of terminating its lease after many years at the Old Town Hall.

He added: “We haven’t as yet found a replacement venue but have been hiring venues as required on an ad hoc basis.

“East Lothian Council have generally been helpful in our transition away from the clubrooms.”