St Andrews Harbour Hub Enters Next Phase
Plans for a Harbour Hub, designed to revitalise and future-proof the medieval harbour of St Andrews, are moving into the next stage.
Next week, engineering and architectural investigations will take place on-site, expected to last one to two days.
Led by St Andrews Harbour Trust, the body responsible for the development, maintenance, and promotion of the 14th-century harbour, the works will be supervised by an archaeologist due to the harbour’s historical significance. The findings will help the Trust refine the budget as they move forward and source quotes from three building companies for the next phase of development.
The proposed Hub, which secured planning permission in October 2025, will include an accessible café for 20 customers on the ground floor, with covered outdoor seating for an additional 20 customers. A lift will also be included to ensure accessibility between the two floors for wheelchair users.
Ideally, the building will house the Trust Office, which will give the Harbourmaster visibility across both harbours and St Andrews Bay. Plans include dedicated, accessible marine facilities for berth holders and visiting vessels, including modern toilets. The Hub will also showcase historical information and displays celebrating the harbour’s past, present and future. However, the final size and layout of the building will depend on the findings from the test drillings and the resulting engineering recommendations.
Pat Dodds, the owner of the existing harbour café, who leases the ground from St Andrews Harbour Trust, has been consulted from the outset and will be offered first refusal to operate the new facility. In discussion with her, temporary arrangements, such as a kiosk or trailer, may also be provided to ensure continuity for her customers. It is hoped that the construction phase will happen during the quieter winter months.
Douglas Mundie, Vice-Chair of St Andrews Harbour Trust, said, “After extensive consultation with statutory bodies and key stakeholders, we are ready to move forward with the next phase of the Harbour Hub.
“The harbour is a world-class, historically significant asset, and our facilities should meet the expectations of everyone who visits, whether for work, leisure or simply to enjoy the scenery. With The Open returning to St Andrews in summer 2027, we have an extraordinary opportunity to welcome a new audience, so our ambitions and actions must rise to the occasion.
“The Harbour Hub will serve as a vibrant community resource, offering high-quality facilities for local residents, visitors, and harbour users alike, while also providing an engaging and accessible space to celebrate the harbour’s rich and fascinating history.
“While the current café is much loved by the community, the new building offers an exciting opportunity for improvement. We want to ensure that both the business and its customers benefit from facilities that enhance the experience and reflect the high standards we envision for the area.”
“We’re hugely excited to be progressing with the Harbour Hub following an extremely busy time for the Trust, which is run entirely by volunteers. We have worked tirelessly to raise and invest over £2M in the harbour since the devastating storms of 2023, and this total will rise to over £4M by the time all repairs are complete. We also replaced the harbour gates before restoring and reopening the Long Pier. While this marks a major milestone, significant repairs to the landward end of the pier remain unfunded. More recently, we have also restored and expanded the picnic area and upgraded our CCTV system. Long-term, we plan to develop the East and South Quays for more watersports, making this a harbour for us all to benefit from and be proud of.”
For more information, visit www.standrewsharbourtrust.org.
ENDS