If you asked someone to imagine a 'coastal community' in Fife, they might picture the sweeping sands of St Andrews, quaint harbours in the East Neuk, or Jack Vettriano’s ‘Singing Butler’ inspired by the beach in his Leven hometown.

Until the millennium though, anyone standing on Leven beach only had to twist their neck to gaze instead on Methil Power Station belching out coal-fired smoke over Levenmouth; a scene Vettriano captured in ‘Long Time Gone’ describing it as a “terrible beauty” when it premiered on the front page of the East Fife Mail.

That’s the dichotomy often associated with coastal communities – the picturesque versus the industrialised, the idealised versus the reality.

Levenmouth south of the Bawbee Brig was once thriving, particularly in the ‘50s when heavy industries provided steady, ample employment. Methil Docks, once a major industrial port, exported an astonishing 3,000,000 plus tons of coal a year.

Jack Vettriano's Long Time Gone celebrated the landmark that was Methil Power Station

placeholder image — Jack Vettriano's Long Time Gone celebrated the landmark that was Methil Power Station

How times change. With the loss of coal Levenmouth suffered decline; the area needed new economic impetus and - unlike the East Neuk - tourism was never going to be a promised panacea.

But look closely enough at Levenmouth and there are diamonds in the coal dust – not least its people, whose belief in their community still shines. The challenge is, as for so many industrialised coastline communities, how do we bring Levenmouth back to full strength?

Industry is still key. Harland and Wolff’s Methil Yard, built on the site of the old Wellesley pit, went into administration soon after I became MP and its future became personal to me; I fought tooth and nail to ensure the UK Government’s rescue deal included Methil.

It paid off: just before Christmas 2024 a deal was struck with Navantia UK and it proved to be the right decision. The company sunk £12m into modernising the yard, increased the workforce, opened up new apprenticeships, and on Tuesday the yard launched ‘Seahorse’, an £8m MOD barge to support construction of three vessels for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

The £8million barge built in Methil is officially christened. (Pic: Submitted)

The GMB union has called on the UK Government to allocate further work to Methil through Programme Euston – the construction of floating dry docks for Faslane. Having spoken to Navantia’s management, I know Methil would be able to deliver the programme not just on time but ahead of schedule.

The Ministry of Defence is due to publish its defence investment plan, setting out specifics on upcoming contracts and spending. Since contractors need certainty to plan long term, I’m lobbying the government to publish this plan urgently and include Methil in the UK defence dividend.

It’s no surprise, when you think about it, how popular an image of Methil Power Station would be among local fans of Vettriano’s work – those who grew up in its shadow remain genuinely fond of the hulking landmark.

The painting proves a ‘terrible beauty’ can have as much emotional pull as a postcard-perfect beach. And that, to me, underpins the strategy needed to ensure a better future for our area: it’s not about window-dressing, it’s about supporting key industries and community, which is a deeper and more complex challenge.

That’s about ensuring we use the right levers, in the right balance, to turn around chronic deprivation and also empowering communities to make decisions for themselves - they know their community better than anyone else, which is why I’m especially proud to bring the UK Government's £20m Pride in Place fund to Methil and Buckhaven.