A YOUTH shelter could be created in Dunbar.

Concerns have repeatedly been expressed about young people loitering in dark vennels off the town’s High Street.

Police Constable Gavin Ross told the town’s community council that he had worked alongside Jimmy Wilson, community warden, to compile a report looking at the lighting of these alleyways.

He added: “Dark alleys are always desirable by youths or people on the way home from the pub who go for a pee.

“The idea of the youth shelters came up and they would be for the sort of youths that don’t want to join clubs and would rather hang out on the streets.

“I’m halfway through conducting a feasibility study for creating a youth shelter.

“At the next CAPP [Community and Police Partnership] meeting, we are going to have youths coming along as well.” The idea was raised at a CAPP meeting last month and was discussed further at the CAPP meeting last week.

The officer acknowledged the shelters were not cheap, costing between £5,000 and £10,000, but stressed that they were only at a very early stage and funding was not being sourced at present.

He added that the shelter would need to be located within the town, and about half-a-dozen potential sites had been earmarked.

PC Ross wanted the shelter, if approved, to be close to shops and other attractions.

“You can get a shelter with a solar panel on the roof to provide lighting,” he added.

“A speaker can also be created so they can play music. It has to have some sort of gimmick to entice people to it.”