Hope has been restored that a fireworks display will return to Polson Park in Tranent in 2023.

Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council have met with five members of the public with the view to handing over the responsibility of organising the event to them.

Community council chair Mike Falconer along with community councillor Robert McNeill met with the members of the public last Tuesday (January 24) to discuss what work needed done to put on the display.

Mr Falconer previously described the meeting at January’s community council meeting as “critical” in deciding the future of the event.

He said at the time: “This meeting is critical in deciding whether an event goes ahead at Polson Park. If it is unsuccessful then the future of the event is in doubt.”

Following the meeting with the members of the public, Mr Falconer said he was hopeful that plans would be ironed out to pass the event over to the interested parties.

He said: “It was a successful meeting. There were five people who came along and we are going to have another meeting with them soon to discuss it.

“They are hoping to get more people involved too and the idea will be to pass on the responsibility of organising the event to this group going forward.

“The community council will continue to oversee the group for the first year and offer support when needed.”

The subject of the future of Tranent fireworks display was first discussed at November’s community council meeting where community councillors agreed that the volume of work involved in planning and organising the display was too much for the community council to manage alone.

It was suggested that a joint display with Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council could be held at Meadowmill Park but Mr Falconer now said that this is unlikely.

He said: “The idea of Meadowmill was always unlikely. It was unclear whether it was actually suitable as a venue firstly but also to ask other community councils who have not run a display before to help would be too much.

“The likelihood is that the new group will run an event at Polson Park again.”

Mr Falconer said that discussions with the new group were still ongoing but that the future looked bright for the display.

He said: “There is still more to discuss at a later meeting but I believe this meeting was a positive one and that as it stands it looks likely there will be another display this year.”