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Edinburgh Reporter
3 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Midlothian Council to charge personal trainers and swimming instructors
Personal trainers and swimming instructors will have to pay hundreds of pounds a month to teach out of Midlothian Council sports centres from next month. Growing demand for gym use has led to the local authority looking into charging people offering private training sessions £450 a month to use their facilities. And swimming instructors who currently pay just a £5 adult entry to provide one on one lessons in the council's pools will now have to pay a £224 monthly charge. The new fees were agreed at a meeting of Midlothian councillors this week after they were told membership subscriptions for the council's Tonezone programme was at its highest ever number with 5,349 members at the end of March this year. Pay as you go gym lessons and attendance at swimming have also risen sharply in the last year with a rise of more than 11% in numbers for both leisure activities. A report by officers said: 'Since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for personal trainers has surged significantly. In Midlothian, this growing demand has led to several personal training gyms opening in recent years, with GRN Box and Fitness Education Academy being notable examples. 'Competition has also intensified following the pandemic, with national chains like The Gym Group and David Lloyd expanding into Midlothian, both offering personal training services. Midlothian Council's Sport and Leisure Service does not currently offer personal training as a service.' It added: 'It is proposed that external personal trainers pay a £450 monthly fee for access to our gym facilities to conduct personal training sessions with their clients. 'If personal trainers charge £55 per session (based on average of lowest and highest benchmarked). five sessions per week would equate to £275 per week, equating to £1100 per month gross income.' On plans to charge swimming instructors the report notes that the council provides free swimming lessons for all primary four pupils and group sessions but it adds: 'There are currently seven external swimming instructors who deliver private lessons and also carry out an instructor role with sport and leisure. 'Instructors charge their clients between £10 to £20 per lesson. Currently, instructors are only required to pay for a standard Adult (£5.00) swim charge. Clients also pay for a standard swim on top of their lesson charge.' The proposals were approved by council without debate. By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
18-06-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
Number of people with Gaelic skills on increase
The number of people with Gaelic skills in East Lothian has nearly doubled over the last 14 years, a new report has revealed. East Lothian Council says the 2022 census found 1, 396 residents above the age of three had some ability to use the traditional language. It added out of those, 638 said they spoke Gaelic with 452 people who said they could speak and read but not write Gaelic and 385 Gaelic literate speakers while 15 people said that Gaelic was their main language. The local authority highlighted the figures as it launched a public consultation on its new Gaelic Language Plan, which covers the period 2025-30. The draft plan, which the council has a statutory duty to renew, sets out actions to help meet a commitment to the aspirations and objectives included in the National Gaelic Language Plan and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. And it reveals the results of the census show use of the language is on the increase. In its report it says lowland Scots rather than Gaelic would have been spoken in East Lothian, however, there are some examples of place names in East Lothian having Gaelic origins, such as: • Cuil Choinnich – Cockenzie (the neuk of Coinneach) • Craobhbarraidh – Carberry (at the palisade) • Fan Taisidh – Phantassie (at the damp slope) • An garbh-Allt – Garvald (the rough burn) The report says the Jacobite army that fought in the Battle of Prestonpans (1745) was largely made up of Gaelic speaking Highland clansmen and the interest in commemorating the battle has resulted in the provision of some bi-lingual road signs and place names around the battlefield site. It says the council is now looking to build on its first Gaelic Language Plan, which covered the period 2020-25 and looked at ways to encourage and establish the use of the language and community engagement. A council spokesperson said the council hoped to build on the progress of recent years by continuing to develop Gaelic language provision in East Lothian in a proportionate way. They said: 'The draft plan recognises how the council can playing our part in making Gaelic more visible, valued and accessible — ensuring it thrives as part of our diverse and inclusive cultural landscape. 'Since 2011, there has been an increase in the number of people with Gaelic language skills in East Lothian. Gaelic, however, continues to face a number of challenges and that is why organisations such as East Lothian Council are required to play their part in supporting collective efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the language. We would encourage everyone with an interest to respond to the consultation.' The consultation runs until August 4. By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
16-06-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Bid to turn Gorebridge office into short term let
An estate agent is appealing after they were refused permission to turn their main street offices into a short term holiday let by Midlothian planners. John MacIntyre, of McDougall McQueen, applied for a change of use for the firm's Gorebridge office in the conservation area where it was argued there is a range of premises from retail, business and residential. However Gorebridge Community Council objected to the plans saying they went against a priority action, identified in the council's Local Development Plan to revive the main street with shops and toilets. They said: 'The long-term impact of the proposal should be considered and the application be refused to prioritise the preservation of commercial spaces for shops on the Main Street.' Planning officers said that over the last four years around 150 businesses had contacted their economic team seeking commercial opportunities in Gorebridge where turnover of units was very low with only two vacancies in that time. They said: 'This demonstrates a high level of interest from businesses looking to operate from the area and a low vacancy rate for units here. The proposal would result in the loss of a commercial unit in an area where there seems to be demand from businesses to operate.' They added the choice of use as a short term let would have a negative impact on residents living above and below the property. The applicant has now appealed to Midlothian Council's Local Review Body to overturn the decision from planners. In their statement supporting the plans agents for the applicant say: 'The proposals seek to reuse an office which is under utilised and due to close. 'The proposals seek a change of use to a short term let and minor alternations to the exterior using high quality materials which will be sympathetic to the historic nature of the of the building. 'We believe there is no impact on the context or appearance of the building. The proposed use will reflect the mixed use nature of Main St and incorporate well.' The appeal will go before the review body later this month. By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
16-06-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Appeal after planners refused to let mosque be turned into flats
A bid to turn a Midlothian mosque above a takeaway into two residential flats has been rejected by planners. The Jafaria Foundation had applied for a change of use for the mosque, which occupies the first floor of a building on Dalkeith's Easthouses Road, after changes to attendance patterns following the Covid pandemic. However Midlothian Council planners rejected the proposal saying it could have an impact on the future of the established businesses, including the hot food takeaway, as residents were impacted by noise and smell. The Foundation has now lodged an appeal against the decision arguing that it allows the building to be kept in use instead of falling into disrepair and tackles issues of housing for the area. Planners had said that while council policy refused to allow a hot food takeaway to be built next to residential housing because of the impact on amenity, it worked the opposed way as well. Refusing planning permission they said: 'It has not been demonstrated that the proposed development will achieve an acceptable level of residential amenity for future occupiers in terms of noise, outlook, and odour. 'It has not been demonstrated the proposed development would ensure that the function of established operations will not be adversely affected.' Applying for permission to create the flats, agents for the Foundation said: 'Following changes to attendance pattens after the Covid pandemic the Jafaria Foundation are no longer able to continue with sustainable use of 43 Easthouses Road as a mosque and have, therefore, considered alternative viable options to ensure the buildings continued use, rather than leaving it to fall into disrepair. 'Use of the building as a commercial, community or retail operation have been considered discounted due to varying reasons' The appeal will be considered by the local authority's Local Review Body at a meeting later this month. By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
09-06-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
Charity refused access to land after buying it
A charity which bought vacant land next to a waste recycling plant have been refused permission to create an entrance to it as it included chopping down 38 trees. WAFA EL, whose objectives are described as tackling poverty, advancing religion and providing recreational facilities, applied for permission to create an access road onto the site after it was revealed the sale did not include permission to use a nearby entrance. However the plans included cutting down the trees, removing 40 metres of stone wall and gave no indication of what they wanted to use the land for. A report by planning officers said the applicants argued they needed access to maintain the site which has a septic tank on it and would mitigate for the loss of trees in future plans. The report said: 'The council's biodiversity officer has advised that notwithstanding that the applicant has stated that mitigation for the loss of the trees would form part of a future application without mitigation being proposed within this application then it can not be supported and is not acceptable.' The land lies to the east of Kinwegar recycling centre off the A199 and property known as Irene's Haven. Planning officers said the site was previously owned by a private individual who retained a private access lane serving both his property and the land adding 'since purchasing the site a few months ago, the applicant no longer has any right of access via this lane and therefore requires their own access to the site'. The planning application called for a change of use of land and the public footpath on the other side of the wall from the site to form a new vehicle and and pedestrian, as well as creating hardstanding areas, and erecting a new wall, fencing and gates. Applicant WAFA EL gave an address in Motherwell and registered with the Scottish charity regulator OSCR in November last year. Its main operating area is given as Edinburgh. By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
