THE future of a historic building in Dunbar’s town centre has once again been called into question.

Discussions were held earlier this year regarding the Corn Exchange, off High Street.

Meetings between councillors, members of the public and representatives of the local authority looked at the future of the building, which dates back to 1855.

Now the town’s community council has again raised the issue of the building.

Pippa Swan, chairwoman of Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership and one of the town’s community councillors, questioned what was happening with the building, which is used to store the town’s Christmas lights.

Stephen Bunyan, community council chairman, said the building was currently “performing a useful function” with the Christmas lights.

Attempts have been made in the past to find an alternative home for the lights but have proven unsuccessful.

However, Mr Bunyan warned that if the building was not wind and watertight it would become a hazard.

Ward councillor Norman Hampshire promised to take the issue up with colleagues at East Lothian Council.

He added: “The building needs a lot of money spent on it. All we can do are small repairs.”

An East Lothian Council spokesman said: “The council is preparing a scope for work to keep the building wind and watertight. We will update local stakeholders on this in due course.”

The future of the building is a long-running saga.

A report in 2011 suggested £500,000 would need to be spent in remedial works.

In 2013, community councillor Herbert Coutts felt the building would be “best-served being demolished”.

While a campaign three years ago to turn it into “a multi-functional community space” catering for “social needs that are not met” by other venues in the town fell by the wayside.

The idea to bring the building back to life had attracted support from Scottish celebrities including Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, comedian and radio presenter Fred MacAulay, and Allison Gardner, co-director of the Glasgow Film Festival.

Graham Adams, one of the town’s community councillors and chairman of the town’s Christmas lights committee, said the building was in need of repair.

He said: “The main thing we are looking for is for the building to be wind and watertight and we do not have that.”