Midlothian councillor defends conflict of interest claim regarding Gorebridge restaurant website

Councillor Jim Muirhead has strongly denied a conflict of interest in his role as a trustee of the Hunterfield Tavern Trust, after creating a website for the current tenant.
Midlothian South councillor Jim Muirhead (Labour)Midlothian South councillor Jim Muirhead (Labour)
Midlothian South councillor Jim Muirhead (Labour)

Local community group Save Gorebridge Heritage raised concerns about l’italiano restaurant’s new website being created by Cllr Muirhead’s company Ultra-soft Limited and called for him to consider his position as secretary/ treasurer of both the Hunterfield Tavern and Arniston Improvement Trusts.

In an email to the local community council, also sent to the Advertiser, the group said the website “raises some serious questions and further concerns about the general conduct of not only the office bearers but all of the trustees”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, Cllr Muirhead (Lab) revealed that he received no money for the website, and that he has done the same for many local community groups in the past.

He said: “I think people are jumping to conclusions here and it’s just simply not correct. I don’t think there is any conflict of interest whatsoever in helping the tenant.

“It’s in the interests of the trust and tenant that the business succeeds.

“I received no payment whatsoever for creating that website. And that’s the case for websites for many local businesses and groups in the area. I just use my skills to help. I have also completed a brand new website for the Arniston Improvement group.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It’s an act of kindness. I never receive money. It actually costs me money. I didn’t even charge the tenant for the domain name, I paid the fee.”

Cllr Muirhead believes this is the latest attempt by certain locals to undermine the Hunterfield Tavern Trust.

He said: “There has been an allegation that I have some business relationship with that tenant but I had never met him until I was introduced to him by the previous tenant. What people are trying to do now is attack the reputation of the trustees in the hope that we resign, and that isn’t going to happen.

“Some of them are raising things, not directly with us, but with groups they think can help them.

“It’s for the benefit of the local community that we have got a business in there that helps the community and, of course, it’s the duty of the trustees to assist them if we can to be successful.”

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.