Monday September 7th 2026
Linlithgow’s Burgh Halls
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Linlithgow’s Burgh Halls is still struggling to control spending costs.
But a new charging framework introduced earlier this year has made a big dent in debts which threatened the A-listed building in the heart of the ancient burgh.
Local councillor Pauline Orr welcomed the improvement but suggested council staff should be more “transparent” in suggesting when the former council offices could be back in profit.
A report to the council’s Executive said: “It should be noted there has been a significant improvement in this financial position with work ongoing to reduce the overspends seen in recent years resulting from the implementation of a revised charging framework focusing on a cost recovery basis.”
Cllr Orr voiced concern that the Burgh Halls is still forecasting an overspend of £50,0000.
Depute chief executive, Dr Elaine Cook said that this was down to honouring legacy bookings but that a revised charging framework was now being implemented.
Councillor Orr said that in 2025 the projected overspend had been £103,000, so she was very pleased to see this improvement.
She said “Linlithgow Burgh Halls has the opportunity to be a significant income generator for West Lothian Council. It is a striking and unique landmark building that offers a variety of facilities to both local communities and tourists.
“The steps being taken already to ensure its sustainability are vital and welcome and I will continue to watch progress eagerly”.
In February the Local Democracy Reporting Service LDRS reported that officers were determined “that no stone has been left unturned” in a bid to make the Burgh Halls profitable.
The council had come in for flak from all three councillors in the town, Labour’s Tom Conn, Lib Dem Sally Pattle and the Councillor Orr for the SNP over mounting costs and unrealistic expected profits which made up the bulk of projected losses in the last two years.
When the new budget was revealed earlier this year officers unveiled plans that a revised set of charges had been drawn up to help “sell” the historic building in the heart of the town as a wedding and events venue.
The new charges take the costs of hiring the Burgh Halls as a full wedding venue to £4,500.
Other price rises included: £40 for a two hour let of the Garden Room rising to £60 at the weekend, with a commercial let costing from £110 to £130.
Charges for one hall for a wedding venue rose to £750 while the weekend hire of two halls for family celebration or weddings rose to £1,000 and £2,000 respectively. The latter with minimum bar spend rules attached.
In the last two years losses – or rather projected incomes of around £100,000 have failed to materialise and this has prompted questions from all local councillors about the Burgh Halls is managed by the Education service
Greg Welsh, the head of the Education service said earlier this year the price rises for hiring the Halls would be “an income generator” for the council.
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