THE former home of a community’s Post Office could be transformed into a cafe.

East Linton Post Office was previously based on High Street but has now moved to The Mart, off Station Road.

Now the old Post Office building could become a cafe under plans submitted by Gareth Pickles, of The Byre Group, which is based in the village.

He said: “We are setting up a small coffee shop. We have tried for a while to get the right premises and we think that this will work very well.

“My wife Helen will be running the business.”

Currently the building is split into three, with the Post Office counter and gift shop at the front and an office at the rear.

Under proposals submitted to East Lothian Council, the front of the building would be transformed into a cafe with room for about 24 covers.

While the office would be changed into a food preparation area.

Mr Pickles said: “It would be a traditional coffee shop with pastries and baking-type products, with sandwiches and high-quality teas and coffees.”

The proposals will now be examined by the council’s planning department, with Mr and Mrs Pickles, who have lived in East Linton for more than a decade, keen to open this summer.

The business would be called Barney’s Coffee Shop, named after the couple’s Cockerpoo Barney.

Mr Pickles was keen to see the building brought back into use following the move of the Post Office.

He said: “We want to create something that is not just a coffee shop but somewhere people come together.”

Judith Priest, chairwoman of Dunpender Community Council, which covers East Linton, wanted to see the building brought back into use.

She said a cafe, which she had baked rolls for, had previously been based in the building.

The community council chairwoman added: “No objection from me – bring it on!”