PLANS have been revealed for the building housing the last bank in Dunbar to be subject to a community buyout.

Last year, The Bank of Scotland announced it intended to close the branch at 95 High Street.

The bank, the last of its kind in the town, is due to close on May 21, leaving customers with a trip to either Haddington or North Berwick.

Now, Sustaining Dunbar is proposing to use the Community Right to Buy legislation in order to bring the premises into community ownership as an asset that also has the potential to generate a profit for ongoing investment in community projects.

By registering a ‘community right to buy’, it would mean that Sustaining Dunbar have “the first option” to buy the premises, before they are put on the open market.

Sustaining Dunbar hope to create “a vibrant community hub” in the town centre to help bring more people and businesses to the High Street.

A spokesperson for the group outlined their plans and said: “A high quality co-working and meeting spaces for local people and community groups, projects and businesses.

“A professional, shared-office facilities that overcome isolation and encourage social interaction and collaboration as well as incubating and supporting the development of new enterprises, initiatives and networks.

“A space to bring together individual workers who are tired of working at home and alone and crave some interaction with others.

“A space for local, voluntary organisations and business start-ups to become successful and sustainable.

“A mix of open-plan office space with hot-desking, along with private, quiet space and meeting rooms, lockable storage etc. to cater for a range of needs.

“A space that offers more than just renting a desk.

“We believe that remarkable things can happen when people gather together.

“We think that such a community hub in the town centre would be a significant boost to Dunbar, would bring more people to the High Street and raise awareness of what locally owned shops have to offer.”

The spokesperson highlighted that many people were now working from home for at least part of the week.

Coworking spaces would help provide “a well equipped and support work environment”.

Anyone looking to share their views is asked to complete a short survey at www.sustainingdunbar.org

The closure of the Bank of Scotland will leave Dunbar without a bank and just two cash machines on the High Street.

It is thought banking provision will be provided by the Post Office and the mobile RBS bank, which visits the Bleachingfield Centre in the town.

The Sustaining Dunbar spokesperson confirmed consideration had been given to establishing a local banking hub but that was “unlikely to be viable at the current time”.