HADDINGTON’S Corn Exchange will remain a vaccination centre until next year at least.

The town centre venue was leased by East Lothian Council to NHS Lothian for 12 months in December 2021.

Since January last year, more than 77,000 people have been vaccinated in the building, which was previously closed for nearly two years due to an £800,000 refurbishment.

East Lothian Council has now confirmed that the building will remain leased to the health board until March next year.

The announcement came at the same time as the council confirmed that there was no exact date for the nearby Town House to reopen to the public.

The latter venue, which dates back to the 1700s and previously housed prison cells, was closed when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in March 2020.

East Lothian Courier: Work is planned for Haddington Town House

Haddington Town House

East Lothian Council regularly met in the venue but has held meetings online since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Previously, it was hoped that the building would open again by about Easter this year.

However, Councillor John McMillan, Haddington and Lammermuir ward member, told Haddington and District Community Council, which is also meeting virtually in the absence of the Town House, that it was now more likely to be summer time before it was again used by the public.

A council spokeswoman confirmed that this was the case.

While the building has been closed, more than £600,000 has been spent on roofing works, stonework and window repairs.

Scaffolding came down last autumn but work is yet to be finished.

The spokeswoman said: “The bulk of works have been completed at Haddington Town House but it still requires some IT and electrical work, which isn’t expected to be completed until May/June due to supply chain issues.

“If the community council wish to hold local, in-person meetings they can, of course, book space at Knox Academy.

“A further extension with NHS Lothian for the Corn Exchange until March 2024 has been agreed as the need remains to protect our communities with vaccinations.”

A spokesperson for East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Since January 2022, over 77,000 vaccinations have been delivered from this site. Securing venues that are accessible and convenient to the community is incredibly important and we thank East Lothian Council for their support to date.”