A Fife fishing village has huge untapped potential to become a centre of excellence for boat conservation, according to a new report.
A boatyard at St Monans could provide much-needed facilities for the repair and maintenance of vessels which are currently turned away from the Scottish Fisheries Museum at Anstruther because of their size, says former curator Richard Wemyss.
He is calling for a full economic study into the benefits of such a scheme before a major revamp of St Monans harbour goes ahead.
Plans have already been tabled which would see part of the existing hauling out slipway – built in 1975/6 – levelled out and used as a car park. The project would also see the engine shed turned into toilets and showers for visiting yacht crews.
However, Mr Wemyss insists alternatives could and should be explored before any decision is made.
“It could prove to be a very short-sighted economical mistake and a historical tragedy to remove this facility from the growing potential and need within the East Neuk and nationally without investigating the market properly,” he said.
“If this facility were to be levelled out, it would be economically unviable to ever reinstate such a facility within the East Neuk.
“To be clear, I don’t want this to be seen as ‘the other development is wrong and this development is right’.
“I’m just saying: ‘Let’s get a study done to see if the business case is there, and go forward.”
“There’s a real unique opportunity here to provide full and part-time skilled jobs, for tourism and to provide training facilities.”
Mr Wemyss’ report highlights the current significance of the Anstruther museum in terms of boat restoration, repair and building, but notes that the yard there is limited in scope and cannot accommodate vessels longer than 33ft.
Each year the museum is offered around 10 vessels, most of which have to be turned down. Meanwhile boat owners as far away as the south coast of England are struggling to find facilities for them to complete their annual maintenance contracts.
The report suggests a St Monans yard could establish a firm hold in the market for vessels under 90ft.
The project could create boatbuilding, design, engineering, managerial and educational jobs, as well as providing training for local young people, visiting boat owners and workers.
There is also the potential for tourism.
“The opening of a high quality business would reinvigorate the local pride that many of the older residents feel for a younger generation, a business that St Monans was internationally respected for,” Mr Wemyss added.
“St Monans’ proximity to Anstruther with the long boat building tradition on those sites, Robertson’s, Walter Reekie’s then James Miller’s, and the hauling out facility where major repairs were done on the museum boats would make the current free sites in St Monans ideal.”
His report concludes that an economic development study should be carried out to understand the potential market and economic benefits to the area and, if that proves fruitful, a full business plan should then be drawn up.
