Visitor boom at Fife heritage centre

More than 37,000 visitors have stepped through the door of the centre since it opened to the public in November 2013, way beyond the predictions of those behind the facility.

Linda Ballingall, chairman of the Glenrothes and Area Heritage Centre, said she hopes the visitor numbers will continue to grow in 2017, especially off the back of a number of forthcoming key exhibitions already in the pipeline.

“To say the visitor numbers are a surprise, is an understatement, we are delighted,” she said.

“Furthermore it is proof that a heritage centre for the town is not only viable, but also a necessity for Glenrothes and its surrounding communities.”

The visitor figures represent a boost for the volunteers who operate largely without external funding or support to keep the centre manned five days a week.

And public donations from those visiting the centre have also significantly increased in recent months,” Linda confirmed.

Volunteers are now looking ahead to February 2017 and the forthcoming Tullis Russell exhibition.

“Having been given unprecedented access to the company’s 206 year historic archive, the exhibition we have planned will be one of our biggest to day and will certainly resonate with many Fifers,” Linda added.

The centre will close on December 17 and reopen on Saturday, February 4.