A CELEBRATION to mark the end of lockdown restrictions is being planned for Haddington.

Discussions are taking place to see what could be organised to mark the historic occasion, with family events and a permanent memorial among the options being considered.

Paul Kinnoch, from the town’s Tyneside Tavern and Mazzoli Italian Kitchen, is among those involved in planning a celebratory event.

A promotions group – made up of members of Haddington Business Community Partnership (HBCP) and other members of the public – is exploring the possibility of some sort of festivity taking place.

Mr Kinnoch, who heads up the HBCP sub-group, said “a community day” was being considered for the town and added: “It would be to celebrate everybody that made a difference during the lockdown period and create a huge event, similar to what we did for Haddington 700, to bring the community together.

“The provisional consideration is that it would take place in spring 2022, which would give us time to organise the event and presuming things have opened up in terms of volume of people that can attend and the guidelines in terms of things that we can do.

“We would like to look at some kind of visible tribute as well, which would feature in a location in Haddington.

“Whether that would be a plaque in a garden or a sculpture or some sort of memorial – what we would do there is put it out to the community, to the public, to see what they would like and what type of memorial they would like as well.”

Three years ago, groups from throughout the town came together to mark 700 years of Haddington becoming a royal burgh.

The Haddington 700 celebrations were spread out throughout much of 2018, with a celebratory event taking place at the East Haugh.

Mr Kinnoch felt that the event worked well and there had been people calling for similar celebrations to take place in the following years.

Now, something similar could take place, with a procession leaving from the town’s refurbished Corn Exchange making its way to a site of celebration.

During the lockdown restrictions, members of the public stepped up to help neighbours and strangers during challenging times.

People from throughout the town collected shopping and prescriptions, as well as helping keep gardens tidy, producing face shields and masks.

Originally, discussions took place to consider the possibility of a monument being created at the East Lothian Community Hospital, on the site of the former Roodlands Hospital.

However, other sites will also now be considered.

Pat Lemmon, vice-chairwoman of the town’s community council, is among those involved in the discussions with the promotions group.

She added: “It would be good for Haddington to have some kind of tribute.”