The Fisherrow Centre Redevelopment Project
Project Description
The proposed project is the refurbishment of The Fisherrow Centre, a community centre based in Musselburgh town centre which provides a range of social, welfare and learning opportunities for the local community. It also provides low cost office accommodation for local charities including Fisherrow community nursery school, Borders Scrap Store recycling project and a learning hub for adults with learning disabilities. The Centre is managed by The Fisherrow Trust, a company limited by guarantee and registered charity, in partnership with East Lothian Council who provide staffing for day-to-day operation and the development of the community programme. The Centre is based in two buildings that together formed the Fisherrow School. The oldest building was built in 1876 and the annexe was built in 1927. The buildings served as a school until 1958. Within the buildings are spaces of considerable architectural and historical value which reflect the building’s original purpose. Following the school’s closure, the buildings served as an annexe to Musselburgh Grammar school until the 1970s when it came under the ownership of Lothian Regional Council and was managed in partnership with the Fisherrow Community Centre Association, a voluntary management committee. In 1997 the buildings were targeted for closure and demolition due to their physical deterioration and high maintenance costs. Following a widespread campaign by the local community to save the buildings, a feasibility study was commissioned, funded by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, which concluded that the buildings could be refurbished rather than demolished to provide a vital community resource whilst also preserving an important aspect of Musselburgh’s heritage. As a result of the study, East Lothian Council agreed to lease the building to the newly formed Fisherrow Trust to manage the Centre on a financially sustainable basis with income generated from the rental of office space and surplus income being reinvested into the refurbishment and redevelopment of the building. Since the formation of The Fisherrow Trust in 2006 over £400,000 has been raised from local fundraising events and grant applications towards the refurbishment of the exterior and interior of the building. Until 2012, a large section of the oldest building remained derelict. The first phase of the project focussed on the exterior of the buildings and included major window and roof refurbishment. The second phase concentrated on the interior of the buildings and included the following works: installation of a gas central heating system, the refurbishment of the derelict wing of the oldest building to create new community rooms, a function room, toilets and a kitchen and the installation of a lift. Within the annexe building, the gym hall and toilets have been refurbished and work has been undertaken to re-surface and decorate the playground which is accessed daily by The Fisherrow Nursery. In 2015, the Musselburgh Rotary club contributed garden planters which have helped introduce greenery and nature play into an area which is a relatively built up area. Most recently, the Charity enable has worked with volunteers to decorate some benches and planters to brighten the outdoor areas.