Campaign to save historic hotel given boost after Scottish Government steps in

Locals in North Berwick still hope the demolition of a former hotel on a prominent route into the town can be stopped after the Scottish Government called in the proposals.

The Golf Hotel on Dirleton Avenue closed to guests in 2006, but for more than a decade after that, it was used as accommodation for the staff of another venue in the town.

In 2021, it was purchased by Caledonian Heritable, and since then, it has been unused. The owner now wants to fully demolish the building to construct flats on the ground.

East Lothian Council’s planning committee approved the plans last month. Councillors were split evenly – four approved the proposal, and four rejected it.

Council leader Norman Hampshire had the deciding vote and opted to approve the plans, citing that the current building is “nothing like” what it was.

But now the Scottish Government will look again, with ministers ‘calling in’ the decision and an independent reporter set to make a recommendation.

North Berwick hotel set for demolition STV News

This has proven to be a controversial issue locally. Some have relented, saying that it probably does make sense to rip the existing building down, but they are against the style and size of the new proposed block.

Others are totally opposed and argue that the structure should be converted to flats.

Chair of the North Berwick Community Council Kenny Miller told STV News: “The broad position was that we didn’t object to the demolition, we did object to the proposed development, in the sense that we thought the scale of the thing was just out of proportion.”

The hotel was built around 1900, and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) was consulted on the petition.

The body objected based on the building’s “architectural significance” and a lack of detail on what steps have been taken in recent years to retain it.

Local heritage campaigners agree.

The hotel has been empty since 2021. STV News

Olwyn Owen, chair of NB Heritage, added: “Refurbish the building to consolidate it, and to convert it into flats for people to live in.

“That’s been done in so many places in North Berwick.”

A key worry for some locals is that the building is easily spotted from the busy road in and out of the town, and with many similar buildings surrounding it, they fear a new block of flats would look out of place.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “An independent reporter will now be appointed to examine the proposal and submit a report and recommendation to Ministers, who will then make the final decision on this planning application.

“As this is a live application, it would not be appropriate to comment further.”

The hotel’s owners, Caledonian Heritable, said that with the case now in the hands of the Scottish Government, it would be inappropriate for the group to comment.