Fife heritage centre future fears as low visitor numbers revealed after four-year closure

Methil Heritage Centre has had just 1429 visitors through its doors since April when Levenmouth councillors gave it £44,000 of funding.

Operators, OnFife, admitted the numbers have been “low” but some councillors raised concerns for the future of the centre.

Chris McLean, head of cultural heritage and wellbeing at the arm’s length trust - which runs Fife’s theatres, galleries, museums and libraries - told Levenmouth Area committee councillors that current opening hours “should be reviewed.”

“We are mindful that it has taken seven months to prepare and re-open Methil Heritage Centre after four years of closure, and that visitor footfall across the public sector has been slow to recover from the impact of the pandemic,” her report said.

The centre closed its doors in 2020 during the pandemic. In April, after seven months of preparatory work, it finally reopened thanks to £44,000 of funding from the committee's Community Renewal Fund which was used to appoint a community engagement co-ordinator and a museum assistant to allow the centre to reopen until March 2025.

It was previously agreed that OnFife would come back to the committee at a later date for a second – and final – installment worth £65,000 to continue the project until March 2026. Councillors unanimously agreed to release the second tranche of funding to keep the two posts filled, but they raised serious concerns about the future of the centre beyond 2025.

Councillor Tom Adams (Labour for Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages) said: “You had four years to come up with something. Then it took you seven months to re-open. We’ve only got another 18 months to March 2026. When are you going to sit down and take a longer term view of what is happening with the heritage centre?”

Committee convener Colin Davidson (Labour for Leven, Kennoway and Largo) was also concerned about the centre’s future.

“I think there’s a concern that you’re going to come back in the future and ask for more money and potentially say if we don’t give you the money you’re going to close the heritage centre.

"There’s an underlying feeling that we want to see this place kept open and we’re looking for a commitment from OnFife keep it open on the back of the money we’ve given."

He added: “The area of Levenmouth deserves the same amount of investment that Lochgelly, St Andrews, Anstruther, Kirkcaldy and other areas get. We really need culture and for OnFife to be investing in our area.”

Ms McLean assured councillors that the arm's length trust is committed to maintaining staff at the centre and keeping the facility open.

“I’m absolutely in no way intending to hold the committee ransom for further funding on any threat of closure of the heritage centre – quite the reverse. We’re looking at how we can continue to build on good work done at the centre,” she said.

OnFife originally planned to provide another update to the committee in September 2025, but councillors asked for a detailed report and long term plan to be brought back for scrutiny in March instead.

“By March 2025, OnFife should have a budget for 2025-26 and we’ll be in a much clearer position to understand what is available to continue delivery of services across the whole of Fife," Ms McLean said.

Councillors were told that the findings show current opening hours should be reviewed in response to evidence of footfall with Wednesday mornings, Friday mornings and Saturday afternoons attracting the highest footfall.