Edinburgh's Gorgie Farm: Call for cross-party talks to see if popular urban farm can be saved

Edinburgh council urged to chair talks looking for solution

Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs is calling for cross-party talks in a bid to rescue Gorgie Farm after the social enterpise running it said it would have to close without lifeline financial support.

The urban farm, which offers hands-on learning and is a firm favourite with families and children, is due to begin a period of formal consultation with staff this week. But Mr Briggs said he had written to acting Finance Secretary John Swinney to see if emergency funding could be made available to keep the doors open while a longer-term solution is sought. And he has also written to council leader Cammy Day, urging him to chair a cross-party meeting to look at how the farm could be saved.

Educational and social care group Love took over the farm in 2020 after it had gone into liquidation. But last week it announced its intention to return the lease of the farm to Edinburgh council because the project was operating with a deficit of £150,000.

Gorgie Farm, which is home to goats, alpacas, pigs, sheep, ducks, chickens, rabbits, ferrets, and guinea pigs, is a favourite with children. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.

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Mr Briggs said he wanted cross-party talks to explore whether there could still be a future for the farm and try to find workable solution. He said: “I have written to Cammy Day, asking if the council would chair emergency cross-party talks to see whether or not a solution can be found, and to John Swinney, asking whether the Scottish Government could provide some sort of interim funding while a package is put together. We all did our best to save the farm when it was under threat before, so I'd hope there's as much goodwill to try to find a solution going forward.”

Love chief executive Lynn Bell blamed the impact of Covid and the cost of living crisis for the farm’s immediate financial problems and talked of a “partnership” approach and “redesign” of the farm operations. She said: “Gorgie Farm is unique, and it has the potential to deliver so much for so many.”

Mr Briggs said the farm was a great resource and he was sorry the council and the government had not already got together to discuss its future. “This news has broken at the west possible time politically speaking since it was the middle of the Christmas break for both Holyrood and the council and we can't push the issue in parliament or in person. I think probably there is an opportunity to relook at the model and whether or not that's needing just interim funding. The council is obviously in a very difficult place financially but there must be an imaginative way of trying to see what can be saved. If not it will go and I'm sure a developer will be rubbing their hands together looking at that site.”

After the announcement last week, Cllr Day said it was sad to hear the farm was in financial difficulty and added the council had offered to work with Love and was due to meet them early this month.

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