A “soft opening” of Preston Tower to the public will take place at the end of the month as work at the tower nears completion.

A significant amount of grant-funded repair work, valued at £1.1 million, has taken place at the tower, parts of which date back to the 15th century.

Work has included repairs to the doocot, installation of new interpretation boards, a new garden seating area around a carved stone contemplation circle, and new paths.

These have already been well used.

More recently, completed work has included specialist stonework and plaster repairs, renewal of metalwork, installation of CCTV and lighting, and the development of future interpretation/display material.

The final phase of the project will see the installation of an external staircase and internal interpretation, to enable the public to access and enjoy the inside of the tower for the first time in more than 40 years.

It is expected that this will be completed later this month.

The group Friends of Preston Tower are currently exploring how to regularly open the tower to the public with volunteer guides.

The group will host a soft opening of the tower from 10am to 1pm on March 30, although access to the tower interior will still not be possible at this time.

Outdoor play activities will be on offer thanks to East Lothian Play Association (ELPA), and plans for an Easter egg hunt for youngsters are also in the offing.

At February’s meeting of Prestonpans Community Council, member Joseph Simpson provided an update on work at the tower.

He said: “Work is progressing well at the tower and there will be a soft opening of the tower on March 30. Access still won’t be possible but it will be good to get people along to celebrate the work there.

“There will obviously be a bigger launch when the tower is open to the public and hopefully that is not too far down the line.

“It has been a long time in the making and it should be a real thing of pride for the town.”