Councillor Donna Collins says in your story online [and on page 18 of this week’s Courier]: “No offence to Port Seton, but there is not much to do there!”

I for one take great offence at that comment; when did she last visit our beautiful village? Let’s just think about what visitors may choose to do when visiting Cockenzie and Port Seton. . .

Perhaps start with a walk along the Links onto the beach, or up Sandy Walk with a stop to watch the community ponies and a chat with their humans!

READ MORE: 'Not much to do' in Port Seton, Councillor Donna Collins claims

There are lots of interesting native plants and grasses growing on the Links as part of the re-wilding project – and why not pause for a drink at the Lion on the Links – our newly refurbished drinking fountain?

If fitness is their thing – lots of opportunities for yoga, pilates, outdoor bootcamps or use the local gym facilities within the Port Seton Centre, where you will also find the library and community café.

Any wild swimmers would be more than welcome to join the local swimmers at the Boatshore – probably the finest little swimming cove in Scotland.

Cockenzie House & Gardens offers a little haven of quiet with local crafters and artists’ workshops, a lovely cafe and, depending when they visit, local events including live music and flea markets.

Let’s not forget some of the best industrial archaeology in Britain being undertaken, with a popular museum visited by people from all over the world!

The village gala, Christmas events, walking the John Muir Way. . . and let’s not forget the Battle of Prestonpans and remnants of one of the world’s earliest railways.

If art is your thing – visit the little art gallery near the harbour, learn more about John Bellany; coastal rowing; the historic Seton Collegiate Church. . . the list goes on and on!

We may not be a capital city full of fancy restaurants and bars but two local pubs offer a warm welcome to visitors – sometimes with live folk music or the local book and drama club meetings thrown in!

You could have fish and chips sitting on the harbour watching the fishing fleet come and go or just watching the sun set over the Firth of Firth.

Those of us living in this dynamic community love to welcome visitors and share our history and heritage with them – some even join in the local beach clean when they meet locals litter picking and just about all of them talk about how wonderful it is to be able to shop locally rather than in large supermarkets.

I’m sorry Councillor Collins considers our village to be so lacking – if she would like to know more about our strong and active community, I invite her to join me for a walk one day and let me introduce her to all it has to offer.