Toilets at popular beauty spot to undergo £300,000 revamp

A £300,000 revamp of toilets at a busy beauty spot in East Lothian will include signs urging visitors to go to other places in the area.

East Lothian Council is planning to invest in the facilities at Gullane Beach, which it says have fallen into disrepair and are not disabled-friendly.

A report to councillors revealed that as well as building new outdoor showers for visitors, the refurbishment has also been seen as an opportunity to encourage people to visit other places.

In the report, elected members are told: “There is also the opportunity to capitalise on the numbers of visitors to Gullane Bents each year by providing tourist information and interpretation of the coastline, to help direct visitors to other areas of East Lothian not currently under so much pressure from visitor numbers.”

East Lothian’s stunning coastline has seen it draw record numbers of tourists and day trippers as staycations have become more popular during the pandemic.

It is believed to be the most visited coastal area in Scotland per kilometre and during the summer the number of countryside rangers who patrol the beaches was doubled.

In January, VisitScotland’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund awarded the local authority around £147,000 towards upgrading the popular beach car park with fully accessible facilities.

A report on the outcome of tendering for the work reveals that LIvingston firm Ashwood Scotland Ltd have won the contract with a bid of £299,761.08.

The report said: “This project will provide visitors with improved toilet facilities at Gullane Bents. In addition outdoor showers and tourist information will be provided.

“This will provide key facilities for those using the beach, including the water sports users as well as those walking the John Muir Way. The current facilities are in much need of repair to bring them up to standard and are not fully DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant.”