The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
East Neuk backpacker hostel plan
A PROPOSED backpackers hostel in Anstruther has been hailed as good news for the local economy.
While some local residents are opposed to the historic Murray Library building in Shore Street being lost as a community venue, the Murray Library Trust is keen to see it transformed into a hostel for up to 36 guests.
The trust believes the hostel would prove popular with people using the Fife Coastal Path and visitors to the East Neuk village looking for affordable accommodation.
At a recent meeting of the Royal Burgh of Kilrenny, Anstruther and Cellardyke Community Council, concerns were raised about the building no longer being in public use and the two-week tendering process to find an operator.
One resident was reported as saying there was “considerable concern” among the community and that she spoke “for the whole town”. She also claimed there had been a lack of consultation about the plans.
She queried why the tendering process was not longer, asking if there was a preferred bidder. The meeting was told there was not.
According to the community council minutes: “Murray Library trustees commented that there had been a number of consultation events over the last six years.”
Martin Dibley of the community council said: “Unfortunately there are too many community use buildings already in the town. Everything is catered for.
“You can see why people would want it to be kept open for the public but that is just not sustainable.
“The building is in a poor state of repair through old age and before we can get any proper grants we need to find a use for it at the end of the refurbishment.
“I would say, of people that we have spoken to, nine out of 10 are more than happy that the building is being put to good use rather than being left to rot. It would bring people into the village and create revenue for the whole community.”
Murray Library trustees are working on the hostel project in conjunction with Fife Council and Fife Historic Buildings Trust. They have appointed a consultant architect.
If the scheme goes to plan the hostel could be open by summer next year.
Funding has been secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland’s Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme, the European Regional Development Fund and the local authority.
It is part of a wider project to preserve Anstruther’s built heritage, with the Hew Scott Hall and Wester Town Hall also set to receive a makeover.
The trust said: “The Murray Library Trust will take no role in the budget holiday accommodation operation, other than as a landlord. The trustees are however keen to identify an operator as soon as possible to allow contract arrangements to be formalised and to enable the preferred operator to have input into the design process.”