PLANS have been lodged with East Lothian Council to convert the gym, swimming pool and a function suite at The Quay leisure and bar/restaurant complex in Musselburgh into bedrooms.

But owner Charan Gill has assured leisure club members that the alteration work at the New Street facility will not be carried out in the “foreseeable future”.

He told the Courier: “We have no plans to convert the leisure club to a hotel. The reason for the application is to have alternative plans for The Quay in the future and keep our options open in an ever-changing business environment.

“Once planning has been granted we have five years in which to commence the works. We already had planning consent for bedrooms granted about seven years ago in the beer garden but we didn’t carry out those works either.”

Mr Gill bought the complex from the Fisherrow and Musselburgh Co-operative Society for £1.3 million and has since modernised the premises and upgraded the facilities.

The Quay currently has the Frisco Bay Restaurant, a leisure club and is a popular venue for weddings, conferences, buffet and dinner functions.