A LOCAL funeral director is set to open a second branch in Musselburgh to “better serve the needs of the community”.

M&F Funeral Services, known in the town as ‘The Store Funeral Directors’, is planning to refurbish the former PDSA charity shop on High Street at a cost of about £80,000.

The company will retain its premises on Lochend Road South, which was established in 1926 as Musselburgh & Fisherrow Co-op Funeral Department.

Kirsten Swales, funeral manager, said: “Whilst Lochend Road South is not a High Street location, everyone knows where we are and where to find us. However, our town is rapidly expanding with all the new housing in and around Musselburgh and this is creating an influx of new locals.”

She said that “to better serve the community”, the company decided to open a small unit in a prominent location on what was “a bustling and progressive” High Street.

Renovations will include a new shopfront, stripping out all internal fittings and a total refurbishment to create “a tastefully designed funeral home”.

Miss Swales said: “The timescale to negotiate a new lease and to submit planning application for the changes has been longer than anticipated and hence the new unit will potentially not be available until spring.”