A SENIOR West Fife councillor has demanded Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries be opened on a Wednesday afternoon. 

Speaking at a meeting of the Dunfermline area committee on Tuesday, convener Helen Law said the half-day closure was “unacceptable” at a time when more tourists were being brought into the town centre.

She said she had raised the issue with operators Fife Cultural Trust on several occasions and was dismayed to hear that changes were not expected this year.

“A key priority for this committee is to get the museum open on a Wednesday,” she said.

“The committee is absolutely appalled that it is closed on a Wednesday afternoon and demand that it is opened.

“We have had a number of conversations about it and today it is suggested that it is not going to open – we don’t accept that. To have any facility closed when we have tourists is not acceptable. 

“That has to go back. We demand we have our museum and gallery open on a Wednesday.”

Fife Cultural Trust’s director of creative development and delivery, Michelle Sweeney, had told committee members that there were no plans to open on Wednesday afternoons in 2018.

“We are unable to resource it financially or from the staffing perspective,” she said.

“We are aware of the tourism offer in Dunfermline in particular with the cruise ships. There are only two cruise ships coming in on a Wednesday this year, one in July and one in August.

“The ship sails at 6pm and passengers need to be back from about 4pm. We have a really good offer to cruise ships which is free toilets and we also offer free tea or coffee and have deals that run in our shop to attract them. 

“What is really important to us is where the bus drops them. At the moment, the drop-off has changed to the town and we are having further discussions about this.”

In July last year, the Press reported that tourists from cruise ships were left disappointed when they went to visit the £12.4 million facility on a Wednesday afternoon to find the building shut.

At this time, Fife Cultural Trust said footfall was monitored constantly and opening hours would be reviewed should there be enough demand.