A £700,000 refurbishment of a church has been compared to “walking into a new house”.
More than 100 people packed into Dunbar Parish Church Halls for a rededication service on February 1.
The Rev Gordon Stevenson, minister of Dunbar Parish Church, was pleased to see the hall in use once again, after it was closed since last summer for work to be carried out.
He said: “We were essentially bringing it up to date a bit.
“It had not any real maintenance work done, other than routine stuff, for about 40 years.
“Two-hundred-and-forty glass windows were replaced with the best, energy-efficient glass.
“We replaced a 40-year-old gas boiler that kept breaking down with three efficient heat panels.”
Other work included replacing lighting in the hall, which is used by a range of groups, including drama groups and a foodbank.
The project started in 2024 before work to transform the hall, off the town’s High Street, got under way last summer.
Various groups had to find temporary homes while the work was being carried out but were welcomed back to see the new-look premises.
Mr Stevenson, who has been minister at the church for more than 15 years, said that people were “overwhelmed” when they returned for the service.
He said: “A number of people said it was like walking into a new house.”
Funding came from not only donations and legacies to the church but also from ScottishPower and the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) Funds.
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