The gates to Edinburgh's Gorgie Farm have closed indefinitely amid uncertainty about its future, as the council was urged to "take responsibility" of the benefits it provides to the local community.
Love Learning, the educational charity which has run the farm since 2019, handed back the keys to the council on Monday (January 16) after announcing it was walking away over rising operational costs and lack of funding.
Staff, volunteers and locals gathered for a community vigil shortly before the gates were shut, as one regular visitor said the air was filled with 'disbelief, sadness and anger'.
READ MORE: Edinburgh Zoo understood to be among potential new Gorgie Farm operators
The focus will now turn to how staff can be kept on site until a new operator is brought in, with animals due to be taken to nearby farms and zoo's, albeit on a temporary basis, on Tuesday.
It's understood a number of organisations, including Edinburgh Zoo and Dunbar's East Links Family Park, have expressed an interest in taking over Gorgie Farm. However, discussions are in the early stages and it's been estimated it could take up to three months to find a long-term solution.
David Field, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland which runs Edinburgh Zoo, said: “Green spaces for nature in urban areas are vital. We are interested to hear what the City of Edinburgh Council’s plans are for Gorgie Farm.”
Martin Young, chair of the Save Gorgie Farm Forever campaign, said different business models for running the attraction could be explored but stressed it "must remain affordable".
He said: "Really, all we're asking for is time, we've had a great outpouring from the community, we've had pledges for donations.
"The only people that can give us that time are Love [Learning].
"If there's three months in place then whatever comes we can save as much of the current farm as possible and keep the transition as easy as possible."
Mr Young said he also hoped the council would "step up", adding: "We're certainly willing to step up and we have money that's ready to go.
"We've already had £25,000 pledged that could go into running something on a minimum basis but a lot of the problem at the moment is organisation."
Ross McKenzie, local councillor for Gorgie, said it was "very sad for the community and for everybody that uses the farm" but added people hadn't given up hope.
"I spoke to a number of staff at the farm today who are determined that they still have something to offer and that they can keep the farm going with the animals on site with minimal financial assistance," he said.
Cllr McKenzie said it was suggested at cross-party crisis talks last week that "two or three" members of staff and animals could be retained by transferring some jobs to the council's payroll - but added he felt this "wasn't taken on in a serious way".
"I'm concerned the steer that was given by politicians hasn't been followed through on.
"The staff are in place until the end of Wednesday and so the council still has a chance to take some responsibility and keep those staff and animals in place until a new provider comes in. The council has to take responsibility for the social benefit of the farm."
Gorgie resident Joan Main has visited regularly with her children and grandchildren over the farm's 40-year lifetime.
"I feel disbelief, sadness anger - I've got the whole lot," she said.
"It needs to remain in the community and it needs to remain community spirited, we obviously need to branch out a bit to get the funding and everything going.
"I had my grandson here at the weekend and the weekend before that and he was asking what was going to happen to the animals. This is so familiar to kids and then it suddenly not being here - it's really quite a big thing.
"Let's not lose sight of the people that actually come here and want to save it."
Ms Main called on the council to "get your talks moving a lot quicker than this and get things in place".
She added: "Look at the potential of the place and start doing something right now. Because when it's gone, it's gone."
Council leader Cammy Day said: “We’ve had positive meetings with various organisations and will continue to hold discussions this week to find a solution that secures the future of Gorgie Farm in the coming days.
"It’s disappointing that closed its doors today but we’re really keen to develop exciting new plans for the farm and ensure it remains a big part of the local community.”
Conservative Lothian MSP Miles Briggs added: "We need to have a window of opportunity to put together future bids so I believe about £25,000 could keep two members of staff here for the eight-week period which is needed to do that.
"There's so much going on here beyond being a farm which could be and will will be lost.
"Clearly [the council] are under huge pressure, on the flip side of this they are also facing huge budget pressures at the minute from the Scottish Government. They have to find resources and have not been able to fund things like this because of that reason."
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