Wednesday April 23rd 2025
This View has been written by ‘Concerned Carrington residents’
The tiny village of Carrington in Midlothian has been the focus of recent media attention over the conversion of a dilapidated farm steading in the village into a café. It is true that there are differences of opinion amongst the 90 or so residents, but we are all agreed that the steading should be restored by the Rosebery estate. The difference is around the impact on the village.
Supporters of the proposed café see it as a benefit since the estate has not supported any commercial activity in the village previously, so we have no shop, café, pub, post office, etc. We opposers of the proposed café think this business can only succeed if the bulk of the patrons come from outside the village. There is no public transport to or from the village so most customers will have to travel by car and bike.
We think the café is essentially a tourist destination that is not part of a coherent Midlothian tourist plan. Because there are no other businesses in Carrington, the increase in footfall will only benefit the café. It could destroy the character of the village and cost villagers the peace that many of us value highly. Rural communities represent a tiny minority group in Midlothian, and we feel that our needs are being over-ridden by the majority. The surrounding farmland is a haven for wildlife and the impact of a significant increase in visitors and footfall will degrade a rich environment and delicate ecosystems.
One of the great things about Carrington is being quiet but 10 minutes away from shops and supermarkets and half an hour away from central Edinburgh. We don’t want to lose this to what seems to us to be a commercial tourist development of little value to many of the villagers.
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