Published: Thursday, 7th August, 2008 8:15am

"Bad time" to ask for views on Gray Centre

COMMUNITY leaders have criticised the timing of the public consultation for Haddington"s £7.6 million John Gray Centre, claiming the overlap with the school holidays could deprive many residents from having their say.

The new museum and cultural centre will house the Haddington branch library, the East Lothian local history centre, a museum and exhibition space, and the East Lothian archives, in converted listed buildings in Lodge Street.

It is due to open in late 2010, and East Lothian Council has already embarked on a series of discussions with community groups and organisations to help shape the future of the facility.

Now, the council is asking for the opinions of individual residents. But some believe the August 31 deadline that has been set for the return of completed questionnaires is too early.

Emily Armatage, Haddington and District Community Council treasurer, said: 'Now"s a bad time to have a public consultation. A lot of local people are currently on holiday. The end of September would be a far better cut-off date than the end of August.

'However, I would encourage anyone who can do so to fill in the questionnaire and give their opinions on this as it"s important that a cross-section of voices is heard.'

Nico De Freitas, local hotelier, community councillor and past chairman of the East Lothian Tourism Forum, said: 'I think the concept of a museum in Haddington is fantastic.

'I have seen the plans and the building is going to look great when the work is completed.

'We need something else in the town centre other than the shops, the council buildings and the sheriff court.

'I agree that the timing of the consultation period is poor, but, having said that, the John Gray Centre scheme has been common knowledge now for some time. The plans have been open to public scrutiny at the council headquarters - you can view them at the planning department.'

Questionnaires can be accessed online www.johngraycentre.org. Copies are also available at local libraries and at the Prestongrange Museum, Prestonpans.

Everyone who completes a questionnaire will have the chance to win a first prize of £50 worth of Tesco vouchers. Two runners-up will each win £25 in Kesley"s Bookshop vouchers.

Winners will be picked at random after August 31 and notified via telephone.

A council spokeswoman said: 'As part of our ongoing consultation process about the centre, we have held a number of focus groups in the local area. Throughout the course of the summer, we would like to extend this to include a wider section of the population.

'If people would like to attend one of these discussion groups to voice their opinions about the centre, they should email us.'

Further details about the John Gray Centre are available from: Museum and Library Headquarters, Dunbar Road, Haddington, EH42 3PJ, tel: 01620 828200.