Harbour vision celebrates Eyemouth's maritime traditions

The vision for Eyemouth harbour takes inspiration from its maritime tradition

Demolition work has started in a Borders fishing town to begin a major overhaul of its harbour area.

The former Eyemouth fish market - built in the 1960s - is making way for something a little more eye-catching.

It is hoped the phased work, once completed, can enhance the area for both locals and visitors alike.

Christine Bell, business manager with the Eyemouth Harbour Trust which is behind the plans, said it had been a long journey to get to this point.

The Old Fishmarket building (as it is now) was last used as a museum

"The site is a former fish market, built in the 1960s, but it has not been used for a fish market for over 25 years," she said.

"In 2005 it was converted into a maritime museum. In 2016, when the charity that ran the museum went into administration, the building came back to the harbour trust."

The trust was then presented with the conundrum of what to do with the building and considered various options.

However, it quickly became clear that keeping the Old Fishmarket structure was not one of them.

The sail-like shape of the roofs has echoes of Eyemouth's seafaring tradition

"We went out to consultation in the early stages of the project and there was overwhelming support for demolishing the building," Ms Bell said.

"It is a historic fishing town and still has a very active fishing fleet but tourism is also a large part of the local economy."

Proposals began to take shape that aim to attract more visitors as well as provide a facility of use to residents.

A planning application has now been submitted for a project backed by the Scottish government and Scottish Borders Council to the tune of about £850,000.

The two-storey structure includes an open-plan ground floor which would allow shelter from the elements in winter but also be able to open up in the summer.

It could be used by market traders or as a venue space for community events.

The ground floor would allow shelter in the winter but open up in the summer

The first floor - in plans drawn up by a design team of Galmstrup Architects with JFSA, Arup and CBA - is a series of "pods" which could be used as small offices or by start-up businesses.

All of it is topped by roofing which is meant to echo the history of Eyemouth in the shape of sails.

If everything goes to plan, it is hoped work could begin later this year with the completion of the first phase by the summer of 2022.

It is not the only significant project planned for the town in the near future.

Proposals for an Eyemouth maintenance base for a major wind farm off the Fife coast were approved last year.

All of this is likely to transform the harbour area of the fishing town in the weeks and months to come.