POPULAR youth facility theSPACE is to close its doors in North Berwick in the New Year, with a potential home earmarked for the west of the county – but not until at least two years from now.

Uprising East Lothian, responsible for bringing the skate-themed youth project to the old Ben Sayers Factory on Tantallon Road in 2010, has released a statement outlining its future plans.

Although it had been widely rumoured the group would be forced to leave North Berwick – where its current facility is home to a large skate and BMX park, music practice facilities and more – it had hoped to find a way of staying in the town.

It lease on Tantallon Road is due to expire early next year and that site has been earmarked for retirement housing and business units.

The statement reads: “We are very sad to officially annnounce that we will close the doors of theSPACE in North Berwick on Friday, March 27, 2015.

“For all the crew and trustees, it has been an amazing opportunity to have been able to develop and run theSPACE here in North Berwick. Thank you.” Adrian Girling, theSPACE trustee, told the Courier: “We’ve been in discussions with East Lothian Council about finding somewhere, and it looks like being at Meadowmill [Sports Centre, by Tranent]. It is not ideal, but it is a site that has been identified by ourselves and the council but it is something that we can aim for long-term.” And Mr Girling, who was heavily involved with theSPACE’s move to its current Tantallon Road site, has asked for a more “co-ordinated and strategic approach” from the local authority to help finalise plans to move to the sports facility.

He said: “Councillor John McMillan [council economic development spokesman] has been great, but we need almost a whole-council backing.

“Dave [Berry, ward councillor] has been good, but the ward councillors realised our options [in North Berwick] were fairly limited; their hands were tied.” Adrian is hopeful that the proposed new site will allow the youth enterprise to form links with schools in nearby Prestonpans and Tranent, while maintaining a core of current users.

“We regularly get people travelling to us from the west [of the county] so it isn’t a concern for us,” he said. “What we are concerned about is raising enough money to fund a project manager who can really push the fundraising – much as I did when we moved here.

“We’re all sad, but we’re realistic about it and it’s looked likely that this point would arrive.” Adrian also confirmed that following the closure in March, it will be between two and three years before any new site would be ready to open its doors.

An East Lothian Council spokeswoman said: “theSPACE provides a number of activities and services for younger people in East Lothian and the council continues to support their endeavours to find suitable permanent premises.”