Dunbar: Vandals cause damage at Belhaven Community Garden

A wooden table and shelves were destroyed during the blaze at Belhaven Community Garden.

The incident, which is thought to have taken place on Friday night, has been reported to police.

Naomi Barnes, volunteer coordinator at the Sustaining Dunbar project, was unhappy with the damage caused.

She said: “It is really frustrating, really disheartening and really limits what we can do, what we can grow and really puts people off using the space for what it is meant for.

“That is really frustrating.”

Belhaven Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

The area, next to Belhaven Community Hospital, has been used by residents, community groups, staff and patients to grow together since 2012.

However, volunteers arriving on Saturday morning were greeted by damage to a wooden table and shelves, as well as the polytunnel which was housing the items.

Naomi told the Courier that for about 10 years the group had enjoyed an “almost problem free existence” in the garden.

However, since the coronavirus pandemic, issues with anti-social behaviour had escalated.

Problems with people cutting holes in the polytunnel had previously been noted and volunteers have kept a vandalism log, as well as speaking with police and community wardens.

READ MORE: Dunbar: Anti-social behaviour highlighted by community officers

She said: “The majority of people are law-abiding citizens, who go about their business.

“Then, you have got a minority, who spoil it for everybody.”

Pippa Swan, chairwoman of Dunbar’s community council, planned to raise the issue at the next meeting of the area’s community and police partnership (CAPP) next month.

She said: “I was genuinely shocked when I got Naomi’s message and saw the photographs.

“I was completely unaware they had been plagued by really quite chronic vandalism.

“It must be massively disheartening for all of them.”

Police Scotland have been approached for a comment.