Elie Harbour Trust

Elie Harbour is owned and operated by Elie Harbour Trust Ltd. The Trust has two objectives:

• to maintain and improve the buildings and fabric of the Harbour, including the harbour wall.
• to provide, improve and renew facilities for all Harbour users, both local residents and visitors. 

The Harbour Trust is run by a board of volunteer trustees from the local community  “in the interests of social welfare to provide or assist in the provision of facilities for recreation and leisure time occupations for the benefits of the public”.  (Memorandum of Association 19/02/1975). 

The Harbour Trust has an ongoing schedule of maintenance and improvements, and generates income from harbour users to fund this essential work. Limited reserves are available for a large disruptive event, such as storm damage to the Harbour walls, or for facility improvements, so in addition, the Harbour Trust plans to raise additional income.  

Maintaining the Harbour 

The fabric of the harbour wall and surrounding area are key to the continued viability of the Harbour and for the Harbour to protect Elie and Earlsferry from the strengthening storms and seas. 

 The height of the sand in the Harbour is now around 1m higher than when the causeway and road access was built, as the causeway acts as a barrier preventing the sand flowing out along the East coast shore.  Therefore, the Trust is actively looking at dredging the area so that the Harbour stays deep enough to be a viable venue for sailing and boating activities. 

Facility Improvement Programme

The use of the harbour has changed in recent years, and the Harbour Trust, following consultation with stakeholders, visitors and the local community, is responding to this with a plan to improve and change the facilities on offer in the harbour that reflects the changing nature and the future use of the harbour area. These include:

• Toilets, changing and showering facilities, open to all and open year round
• Indoor catering facilities open to all and open year round
• Improved storage facilities

The resources needed to implement this development plan are substantial, and therefore the Trust is seeking better use of its available space. The preferred option for the Trust is to take ownership of the council-owned toilet facility, and the operation of the clubhouse building, to enable these to become income generating by providing better facilities such as indoor catering and changing.   

This wouls provide resources to enable the development of a purpose-built facility next to the Dinghy Park for stakeholder groups such as Sailing and Rowing Club, East Coast Cruising Club, Elie Seaside Sauna, with year-round indoor facilities to include a club and training room, and storage for all users.

However, after years of discussion this has not yet been possible, so the Trust must move forward with improvement plans making best use of the space available. The Trust is therefore planning for alternative uses for the existing Store and Dinghy Park, ultimately with the plan to build a facility that meets the needs outlined above.  This does however mean that the space available for storing dinghies and other small boats will be much reduced in the short term. 

If you are interested in a mooring, or as a boat visitor to the Harbour, please contact the Harbour Master, Stewart Barclay, on 01333 330 399 for storage enquiries, or to contact the trustees, email: secretaryelieharbourtrust@gmail.com

Trustees

John S Whitehead (Chairman)

Richard Spilsbury (Treasurer)

Charles Abram

Stewart Barclay (Harbour Master)

Rosemary Black

Graeme Dickson

Fiona Houston

Angus Meldrum

Blair Matthews

Alan Provan

Secretary to the Board: Nicola Hetherington