A FORMER church on Dunbar High Street has been sold.

Abbey Church went under the hammer last Tuesday night at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel, with a guide price of £32,000.

A spokesman for Future Property Auctions told the Courier that the building had been sold but could not reveal the amount paid.

Stephen Bunyan, chairman of the town’s community council, was hopeful that something could be done with the building.

He told the Courier: “It is certainly a subject of great interest to the community council.” Ahead of the auction, Future Property Auctions described the building as being in an “excellent location”.

The report stated: “[The building has] potential for development into residential accommodation, provided the necessary consent[s] were sought after and met.

“This is sure to interest a developer or investor.

“The space would allow for at least eight flats.

“Flats [are] selling from upwards of £70,000 on Dunbar High Street; this makes this property look like an excellent opportunity for capital growth investment.” The Abbey Church was built in the 1850s and remained in use until 1966 when it was closed.

The following year, it was sold by the Church of Scotland to a private owner.

Since then, it has remained empty, except for a small spell in the 1980s when it was used as offices and visitor centre for the new nuclear power station being built at Torness.

All fittings and furniture were removed and some partitions were erected for the purposes of the visitor centre.

Since then, a number of different proposals have been put forward for the church building, including turning the building into an arts centre, shop and housing.

Ward councillor Paul McLennan was keen to see something done with the building, which sits at the southern end of High Street.

He said: “Abbey Church has been an ongoing issue in Dunbar for a considerable period of time.

“I’ve not heard anything as to who has bought it but East Lothian Council looked at purchasing it many years ago and the owner was not willing to sell.”