The Harbour continues to be operated by a joint management agreement between East Lothian Council (ELC) and the North Berwick Harbour Trust Association (NBHTA) as an interim position, prior to the full transfer of land and title, and its responsibilities therein, to a full Trust body. When the full Trust takes over, there will be advertisements for Trustees to join the Trust.

Legal issues, fabric concerns and areas of dilapidation, including safety items are continuing to be discussed with ELC executives, and the council are now required to release, or commit, funding in order to address the above, to the satisfaction of the NBHTA.

At this stage of negotiations, the devil is in the detail and it is of the utmost importance to get it right, to avoid a full Trust body having to address latent defects or grey legal issues that could jeopardise its ambitions.

The activities of the NBHTA can be followed on this website and paper copies of meeting minutes are posted in the local library.

The benefits of strong local involvement are being reflected in the everyday activities in and around the harbour area with cleanliness, tidiness, liaison with owners and a general all round improvement being welcomed by those who use its facilities.

Improvements that have been facilitated over the past year include: installation of extra ring bolts to secure dinghies, increase in the number of visiting boats and winter moorings and all dinghy spaces being taken up [there is now a small waiting list]. Streamlined processes have ensured a fair system of allocating moorings and dinghy spaces and the timely collection of income.

The management of memorial benches is now the role of the NBHTA and recently two new benches were delivered and sited on the North West wall of the harbour.

The Harbourmaster’s Office now has broadband installed and will continue to display weather, tidal updates and other relevant information. It also houses a first aid kit, thermal blankets and other safety equipment.

Our Harbourmaster, Mr Ross Harbison, commences his summer hours on 28 March 2009 and these are:-
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 09:00-12:00 & 13:00-17:20 Tuesday & Wednesday Rest days [the telephone on these days is answered by a member of the NBHTA]

We would ask for your continuing support and we welcome suggestions.

Gerry Hughes, Chairman