Scotland: Beloved city farm, Gorgie Farm set to close amid soaring prices
It is home to a number of goats, pigs, chickens, guinea pigs, ferrets, alpacas, sheep and other animals.
By Hamish Morrison
STV News
30 December 2022
Excerpt:
Hamish Morrison
Gorgie Farm in Edinburgh will shut its doors next month, according to STV News.
After three years on the site in the west of the city, the charity Love Learning, which operates the farm will hand back the lease, the broadcaster reported.
Love Learning’s chief executive Lynn Bell told STV: “We have tried everything to avoid this situation, however Edinburgh City Council has withdrawn crucial funding and with Covid and now cost of living crisis we do not believe we are able to support the farm alone.”
Edinburgh council said it has not directly funded the farm since 2020.
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All animals will be rehomed, bosses have said.
Council leader Cammy Day said: “It’s really sad to hear Gorgie Farm is in financial difficulty.
“Sadly, they’re not alone in feeling the devastating effects of the pandemic, with many organisations struggling to cope with falling visitor numbers and rising costs.
“As a council, we stepped in to support the venue three years ago – giving it a new lease of life and allowing Love Learning to take over – and have offered to work with them again.
“We’ve already discussed potential new operating models with them and are due to meet again early next month.
“The capital city of Edinburgh remains the lowest-funded local authority in Scotland.
“As a result, our city and the essential services we provide remain under immense pressure.
“This is exacerbated in our 2023/24 budgets that are looking at at least £70 million of cuts from the Scottish Government leaving us to face some extremely difficult decisions as we look to set budgets for the coming year.”
