Thursday October 9th 2025
Old Farmfoods building on South Bridge Street, Bathgate
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Plans to turn a former frozen food store in Bathgate’s town centre into a short term let hotel, which was rejected by councillors, has gone to appeal.
Mumtaz Hussain saw his proposals to turn the old Farmfoods store on South Bridge Street into 39 bed accommodation thrown out after local councillor Pauline Stafford slated rooms so small there was no space for a chair.
Councillors on the Development Management Committee heard Bathgate now has more than 300 short-term let beds available.
In an appeal lodged by Mr Hussain’s Muir Developments firm, planning consultant Derek Scott doubled down on the assertion that the short-term let rooms would be aimed at “contractors and tourists.”
In papers filed with the Scottish Government’s Division of Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) the agent said that the application for a change of use from retail to a hotel: “addresses growing demand for flexible short-term accommodation from business travellers, contractors, and tourists particularly in the context of the under provision of such facilities in Edinburgh to which Bathgate is easily accessible via bus and rail based public transport facilities.”
The agent added that the new development would bring benefits to the surrounding town centre through increased trade. He said: “The short-term letting accommodation proposed will bring a prominent former retail unit, closed since 2021, back into productive use, reducing a vacancy in the town centre.
“Introducing such a use strengthens the mix of uses making it more resilient and vibrant. As the development will provide accommodation only, without bars, restaurants, or communal spaces, it complements rather than competes with established town centre retail, food and service businesses.”
At last month’s DMC meeting Councillor Stafford told councillors: “We have more than enough hotel accommodation in Bathgate.”
She added: “It is an over-concentration of rooms for a town the size of Bathgate. The design of this is very poor; there are windows right onto a busy footpath. Parking is an issue. The rooms are very cramped. They don’t even have room for a chair. I doubt very much if you could have wheelchair access.”
Fellow SNP councillor Pauline Clark agreed, and seconded a motion of refusal, saying she was sure the client group would be homeless people.
“I think it’s doubtful this hotel will add any vitality to the town of Bathgate,” she added.
A Reporter has yet to be appointed to the appeal. Their decision is likely within a few months.
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