LONGNIDDRY residents turned out in force to show their anger at library opening times being cut over the winter.

About 60 children and adults attended a protest in front of the library on Saturday, with ward councillor Lachlan Bruce also showing his support.

The concerned residents are campaigning to have recent changes to opening times – which saw Longniddry Library reduced to just one weekday and alternate Saturdays – reversed.

READ MORE: Five East Lothian libraries have their hours slashed

At the top of their priorities is to have Friday openings reinstated due to children's clubs which previously took place in the afternoon but are now unable to continue over the coming months.

Before the event, organiser Samantha Gray told the Courier: "We feel this change may lead to more permanent closures and the impact to the communities' physical and mental wellbeing being a greater detriment to the community and local council services.

“We would especially love a Friday opening to return as it’s a hive of activity usually in the library with kids from all around the county due to a Lego club and lots of other activities.”

Attendees at the protest, including many children, also created posters and banners to show what they wanted from the campaign.

One read 'Don't close the book on our library' and another said 'I miss Lego club'. 


Residents showed up with handmade signs (Image: Marilyn Young)

Councillor Lachlan Bruce, ward member for Preston Seton Gosford – which includes Longniddry – gave his support to the protest and attended on Saturday.

He said: “It was great to join with so many people to show support for our local library service.

“In particular it was wonderful to have so many children and families at the demonstration, showing the value of the service to everyone in our community.

“Our libraries offer access to books, opportunities to socialise, attend classes and much else besides, right in the heart of our communities.

"In some of our communities in East Lothian, it is the only regularly open public space available.

“It is clear that people not just in Longniddry but across East Lothian want library services protected from cuts and East Lothian councillors need to take the decisions to protect our frontline services.”

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council previously said: “We recognise that there have been a number of temporary reductions in opening hours for some of our libraries across the past year and do not take lightly the impact that these and the latest reductions will have on communities.

"East Lothian Council has been clear about the scale of the financial challenges that we are facing and the impacts that delivering £56m of necessary budget savings between 2024/25 and 2028/29 will have on service delivery.

"Temporary recruitment measures were implemented in August 2023 as part of urgent mitigations to reduce a forecast overspend for 2023/24 financial year and these remain in place. This means that not all vacancies within our local libraries will be filled and we have a reduced staffing team to cover absence and leave. We recently announced temporary winter opening hours.

"This will be kept under review and, if we are able to increase opening times before the end of February, we will do so.

"Our larger libraries have a dual role in providing support for council enquiries, in particular to those in most need, therefore we are protecting opening hours in those locations.

"We anticipate receiving the draft settlement from Scottish Government on December 12 and the budget council agrees in February will be based on this.”