PLANS to open a fashion hub in a disused Dunbar pavilion are still in vogue after the woman behind it secured £100,000 worth of backing from local businesses.

Kind-hearted town traders Mark Gemmell, of Border Roofing, and Graeme Turnbull and Callum Porteous of Merchiston Joinery Services Ltd, have pledged £100,000 to help Jacqui Burke realise her dream of opening the fashion school in Winterfield Pavilion.

Renovations are set to get under way on the old building in the spring, and Gary Fairbairn, of Blueprint (Dunbar) Ltd, has quartered his fees as he looks to help get the project off the ground.

Style queen Jacqui wants to create a social enterprise at the derelict council-owned pavilion in Winterfield Park, which has lain empty for more than 30 years, to enable people of all ages to learn their trade from the experienced fashion designer. The hub could host 12 pupils at any one time and a 1920s-style makeover is planned.

Jacqui had initially sought private investors to fund the venture, but the generosity of local businesses � as well as funding through other sources � could finally see her dream become reality.

She told the Courier: "We're making really exciting progress and I think we're well on our goal to be open in September.

"The great thing is that it looks like we're not needing to take any private investors.

"To me, it's like local heroes coming to the rescue of the pavilion � the community is pulling together now. It's quite rare to find businesses putting something back into their town." Jacqui has also secured a place on Cultural Enterprise's 'Start for 6' programme in Glasgow, which supports up-and-coming entrepreneurs to turn creative ideas into successful businesses, and will work with several experts later this year ahead of the fashion school's opening. She was one of only 10 people selected for the programme from 150 applicants.