THE sudden closure of a popular venue has forced the organisers of an annual celebration to look elsewhere to host an event.
Plans for this summer’s Dunbar Civic Week were being drawn up with the expectation of The Strawberry Barn being open for business.
However, it was announced last month that the venue would be closing with immediate effect.
Sanchita Patjoshi is helping to organise Civic Week, which will take place from June 10 to 18.
She told members of Dunbar Community Council: “We had booked The Strawberry Barn for the second weekend, which is now out of action.
“We are looking for a spot where we can hold our family function but at least the fun day is unchanged.”
Last year, The Strawberry Barn, off the A1 near West Barns, held a concert on the penultimate day of the week-long celebration as Definitely Oasis were supported by Pages.
A statement was posted on the venue’s social media last month highlighting the reasons for its closure.
It read: “The cumulative effects of the pandemic, Brexit, the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis have been too much for the business to bear and continuing to operate in these conditions has become untenable.
“This was a devastating decision to have to make, but at this point we have been left with no other option.
“The external factors make it no easier to bear and no less heart-breaking that things have come to this point, and we are so grateful to both the staff and customers who have stuck with us and offered their loyalty, support and understanding over the last three years.”
The team behind Civic Week hope that the final programme could be ready by the end of the month.
An appeal was also launched for volunteers to step forward to help organise the event, which dates back to 1970.
The community councillor said: “We need some more volunteers.
“We have five of us managing but having a host of events throughout the week with five volunteers is getting trickier and trickier.
“There are lots of things we have to do in those 10 days and are struggling a wee bit.”
Anyone looking to find out more, should go to dunbarcivicweek.org.uk
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