Every time I walk through the Bleachingfield Centre in Dunbar, I can’t understand all that empty space with full lights and central heating on? After all, we are paying for that.

The cafeteria and front desk reception areas have been closed for three years now.

The new year in Dunbar will bring the closure of our third bank, sometime in May. Would it be possible to use this community space in some ways for a bank-sharing service?

READ MORE: Fears Dunbar's Bleachingfield Centre becoming an ‘empty ship’

All we need is a bit of innovation and common sense, a few partitions, desks and computer access.

Many residents from and around Dunbar do not have easy access our own transport and should not have to go to Haddington to solve a simple banking transaction or, for some elderly people, the risks and difficulties of the internet maze.

The community centre site has plenty of car parking space and provides many services for the library, computer, and some sport and social activities.

In Canada we created an office sharing system; this was 20 years ago, long before the pandemic and people working from home. The reason was to provide an office space for workers with health difficulties to come one or two days a week, feel part of the company and be face-to-face with colleagues and an office environment – probably a lot better than a half-empty building, as we see right now in big cities.

These lovely old bank buildings are not fit for our generation: large, high ceiling, old internal infrastructure = massive running costs and no car parks!

After all, part of the Christmas spirit is to share. . . knowledge and facilities.

John Daeschler

Dunbar