Exclusive:Legionella found in kitchens and toilets of Historic Environment Scotland-run castle

Legionella bacteria has been detected at Historic Environment Scotland-run (HES) Stirling Castle 21 times in the past year, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.

The bug was found across multiple areas of the site, including four kitchens and six toilets, internal documents show.

Monitoring of the water system at the castle, Scotland's second most visited tourist attraction, continues as HES works to eradicate the problem.

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HES said “multiple rounds of disinfection treatment, resampling and ongoing works” have been carried out.

The quango was clear there is no risk to the public.

It is the latest issue to dog the crisis-hit quango and comes just days after Scotland’s Auditor General told a Holyrood committee about the disfunction at HES.

Stephen Kerr MSP accused HES of “serious mismanagement”.

A Freedom of Information request submitted to HES revealed 21 tests between January and December 2025 found levels of Legionella across 10 sites around Stirling Castle.

Four kitchens, the Front Gate, Unicorn Cafe, KOB Servery and Fort Majors House, were found to have Legionella.

So too did three male toilets at the Front Gate, Fort Majors House and Top Square; two unisex toilets at KOB Servery and Green Room; and the disabled toilets at the Unicorn Cafe.

The tests were negative for the strain associated with Legionnaires’ disease, however.

A Stirling Castle insider said: “This is just the latest in a long line of damning indictments for our senior leaders.

“For years health and safety hasn’t been a priority and questions must be asked as to who knew about these serious public health risks and when?

“It is unacceptable.

“We deserve better and the people of Scotland deserve better.”

Stephen Kerr MSP

According to Legionella Control International, Legionella detected over 100cfu/l requires an investigation and an application of a risk assessment.

Detection over 1000cfu/l requires “immediate remedial action” due to the threat to human health. Some 12 of 21 positive tests at Stirling Castle breached this 1000cfu/l threshold, with the highest being 33,000cfu/l in the Green Room toilets; 33 times beyond the severely unsafe threshold.

HES said the The Green Room area, which is not open to the public, “remains under active review, and further remedial work is planned to ensure long-term resolution”.

Mr Kerr said: “The revelation that Legionella has been detected across Stirling Castle on 21 separate occasions last year is nothing short of a scandal.

“This is one of Scotland’s most important cultural sites, which attracts 600,000 visitors a year.

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“This comes on top of the internal dysfunction, wasted money and a hostile working environment for HES staff.”

An Auditor General report on HES in December last year found “unacceptable governance”, including weaknesses in procurement, personal data breaches and unclear processes for the distribution and use of complementary tickets to events at its venues.

Mr Kerr added: “The buck stops with Angus Robertson.

“His dereliction of duty and failure to do his job created chaos in an organisation he is responsible for.

“We need to know what Angus Robertson knew, and when.

“If he was aware of the danger at Stirling Castle, why did he fail to warn the public?

“If he didn’t know, how can he justify being uninformed about an urgent health danger at one of Scotland’s most visited attractions?”

A spokeswoman for HES said additional sampling had taken place in April and September last year as part of “enhanced monitoring”.

A similar FOI request for HES sites Glasgow Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle and Urquart Castle said no Legionella had been found.

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The spokeswoman added: “HES takes the health and safety of our visitors and staff extremely seriously and we have robust water safety measures in place, and follow industry best practice and statutory guidance at all times.

“It is important to note that low levels of Legionella can be relatively common in water systems and tests at Stirling Castle found no legionella pneumophila, the strain linked to Legionnaires’ disease. Results were dealt with immediately through disinfection and resampling.

“There is no evidence that visitors’ health has been put at risk, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety across our estate.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “The maintenance of HES buildings is a matter for HES.”