Tag: Dunbar

People power on the High Street

First Minister visits Dunbar businesses ahead of Travelling Cabinet

Two businesses which were bought by the local community in Dunbar after receiving Scottish Government funding have been praised for their entrepreneurial initiative by First Minister Humza Yousaf, who is in East Lothian for the 52nd Travelling Cabinet.

The First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon heard how local residents launched successful community shares offers to raise finance for the grocery store Community Carrot and the Community Bakery to bring people together and help regenerate the town’s High Street.

The walk along the High Street also included another community project, the Ridge. Volunteers who receive training through the organisation described how they have turned wasteland around Dunbar into community garden spaces. All three initiatives have received support from the Scottish Government’s Scottish Land Fund.

Other visits which took place included:

  • Deputy First Minister Shona Robison at Amisfield Walled Garden, restored and maintained by members of the local community
  • Health Secretary Michael Matheson at East Lothian Community Hospital’s new orthopaedic rehabilitation ward
  • Culture Secretary Angus Robertson at Tantallon Castle

And, on Wednesday, Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop will open East Linton Train Station, which is bringing new transport links to the community.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “We are committed to hearing from people across the country to help inform decision making and the projects I visited today exemplify the type of community empowerment this Government is encouraging in Scotland.

“Through awards from the Scottish Government’s Scottish Land Fund totalling almost £400,000, these three initiatives have demonstrated how local people can make a positive impact to local employment and their local economy.

“East Lothian is a beautiful part of Scotland with tremendous community spirit and I look forward to hearing more about people’s priorities during the public discussion in Haddington this afternoon.”

The Dunbar Community Bakery received £124,560 (November 2022) through the Scottish Land Fund. The Community Carrot received £119,200 (May 2019). The Ridge received two awards of £49,900 (March 2022) and £98,548 (August 2022).

List of visits not previously mentioned:

Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray – Archerfield House

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth – Wallyford Learning Campus

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville – Our Community Kitchen

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater – Kinwegar Recycling Centre

Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown – East Lothian Community Action Team

Parliamentary Business Minister George Adam – Knox Academy

Green light for Lidl, B&M and Starbucks at DunBear Park, Dunbar

A hattrick of national chains are set to open at DunBear Park, Dunbar.

The green light for a Lidl and B&M retail stores, and a Starbucks coffee shop, follows the approval of planning applications, subject to conditions, at the planning committee of East Lothian Council yesterday (1st November 2022).

The Starbucks coffee shop will boast an outdoor seating area and drive thru facilities.

These developments overall are set to deliver a multi-million pound investment in the townand create around 100 new jobs for Dunbar.

The proposed 54.3-acre low carbon community of DunBear Park, being undertaken by Hallhill Developments Ltd, has at its centrepiece The DunBear sculpture. This five-metre-high steel sculpture of a brown bear pays tribute to John Muir, the Dunbar-born naturalist who played a key role in the establishment of National Parks in the USA. 

The exciting mixed-use development, neighbouring the A1, aims to include office, industrial, retail and community uses, adopting the latest low carbon technology. 

One of the key outcomes of the community consultation event held for the development was a clear desire by the community for a far greater retail offering in Dunbar, serving to address increased demand and providing greater competition.

It was noted that there are discount retailers in all the major towns in East Lothian, except Dunbar. Unsustainable travel is therefore occurring, with residents of the town and surrounding area shopping elsewhere, with the clear environmental impacts this has.

By preventing expenditure leakage from the town and the surrounding area to other parts of East Lothian and Edinburgh it will also keep money in the community.

The green light for the proposals follows approval of roads, footpaths and essential infrastructure planning applications last year.

The hattrick of planning approvals achieved will serve to unlock the site, financially pump priming infrastructure to deliver further employment uses.

This new infrastructure has to be installed at significant costs and this early phase of development on the DunBear site makes it more likely that future employment-generating development will occur.

Ken Ross from Hallhill Developments Ltd commented: “It was fantastic to see the committee approve these planning applications. At a time when many retailers are scaling back due to the fallout from the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, it is great to be able to deliver these national outlets for the community of Dunbar.

“These will serve to address the increased demand and provide greater competition, key themes that came from the community consultation exercise we undertook.

“Developments such as this complement Dunbar town centre, and through preventing retail leakage to elsewhere in East Lothian and Edinburgh will keep more money in the town.

“The multi-million pound investment will deliver around 100 much-needed new jobs for the local community, which is a clear vote of confidence in this location, and will also serve to deliver the necessary infrastructure to allow us to bring forward further investment into Dunbar.”

Dunbar Bear sculpture to be lit up again following vandalism

A kind offer from an external lighting manufacturer will see The DunBear, the sculpture of a brown bear beside the A1 at Dunbar, illuminated again.

The generous offer of six new solar panels by Acrospire, a UK designer and manufacturer of external lighting, follows recent vandalism of the solar panels that provides the lighting for the five-metre-high steel sculpture.

The major East Lothian visitor attraction has been subjected to repeated acts of mindless vandalism, spoiling people’s enjoyment of the sculpture, the most recent just last month.

A tribute to the pioneering Dunbar-born naturalist and conservationist, John Muir, who played a key role in the establishment of National Parks in the USA, the sculpture is much-loved by the local community and has attracted increased footfall to the town, benefitting it immensely.

On hearing of the vandalism and being aware of the considerable enjoyment The DunBear brings to both visitors and locals alike, Kevin Grigg, Sales Director at Acrospire immediately offered their expertise, replacing the damaged solar panels free of charge to see the scheme illuminated once again. 

Designed by renowned Scottish sculptor, Andy Scott, also responsible for The Kelpies, The DunBear was erected in 2019 by Hallhill Developments and is lit up with different colours on key dates, such as Valentine’s Day and St Andrew’s Day (above).

It forms the centrepiece of DunBear Park, a proposed 54.3-acre low carbon community that aims to include a range of commercial, community and residential uses.

Prior to the vandalism it was the intent to light up the sculpture in the colours of the Ukraine flag – yellow and blue – in solidarity with the people of the Ukraine. This will be attempted again once the new panels are installed.

Ken Ross from Hallhill Developments, which is responsible for The DunBear and is undertaking the DunBear Park development, commented: “We cannot thank Acrospire enough for its very generous supply of six replacement solar panels.

“The vandalism we have experienced is deeply sad to see – especially at a time when we had planned to illuminate it in yellow and blue in support and solidarity of the people of Ukraine.

“We know that this sculpture is popular with the community and would request that it be vigilant and report any vandalism to the police if they see it happening again.”

DunBear Sculpture lit blue and white to mark Battle of Dunbar

Today (3rd September) lights at The DunBear will alternate between blue and white to commemorate the Battle of Dunbar (1650).

The Battle of Dunbar was fought between the English New Model Army, under Oliver Cromwell, and a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie, on 3 September 1650 near Dunbar.

The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the English. It was the first major battle of the 1650 invasion of Scotland, which was triggered by Scotland’s acceptance of Charles II as king of Britain after the beheading of his father, Charles I on 30 January 1649.

The five-metre high DunBear steel sculpture, designed by Andy Scott (who also designed the Kelpies), was erected in 2019 and is the focal point for the DunBear Park low carbon mixed-use development located beside the A1 at Dunbar. 

The bear was erected as a tribute to John Muir, the Dunbar-born naturalist and conservationist emigrated to America with his family.

He travelled extensively throughout the country, later helping to form the Sierra Club which has gone on to be one of the largest environmental organisations in the world. It is lit-up at various points throughout the year, including the birthday of John Muir in April (blue and white), Remembrance Day (when it is illuminated red) and St Andrew’s Day (blue and white).

John Muir petitioned the President and Congress to form National Parks and through this Yosemite and other National Parks were eventually established.

It is because of National Parks that certain species, such as the brown bear, have survived and thrived.

Ken Ross from Hallhill Developments Limited commented: “Being in such a prominent position at the gateway to Dunbar, the stunning DunBear sculpture provides the perfect opportunity to commemorate key events such as the Battle of Dunbar.

“The DunBear has become a much-loved piece of public art, well-loved by the community and drawing visitors to the area and into Dunbar itself to find out more about John Muir, the pioneering naturalist and conservationist which it is a tribute to.

“It not only celebrates the work of one man, but also reminds us that we can each make a positive contribution to climate change and reduce global warming for future generations.”

Meet The DunBear

A pupil from Dunbar school has won the competition to name the sculpture of the bear, which forms part of the mixed-use Hallhill Development at Dunbar in East Lothian.

The bear is a five-metre high steel sculpture created by renowned Scottish artist Andy Scott (also creator of the much loved ‘Kelpies’).

Emily Hotchkiss, from S5 at Dunbar Grammar School, was awarded the prize after her bear name “The DunBear” was chosen.  One of Emily’s prizes was a picture of the bear signed by Andy.

Following the recent unveiling of the Dunbar bear in November, a competition was held with students from Belhaven Hill School, Dunbar Primary and Grammar to name the bear. The winner was chosen from nearly 3,000 entries.

The Dunbar bear sculpture, located off the A1 in close proximity to the Spott roundabout at Dunbar, represents the legacy of one of East Lothian’s most famous sons, John Muir.

John Muir, born in Dunbar in 1838, played a key role in the development of America’s national parks. He emigrated from Scotland in 1849 and is famous for petitioning the U.S. Congress for the National Park bill, establishing Yosemite National Park. The bear is symbolic of John Muir’s travels through the far-off wilderness of America’s west, in the Rockies and his advocacy for National Parks.

The sculpture forms part of the mixed-use Hallhill development, which started on site in 1999. It has already delivered sports facilities, 56 acres of community woodland together with 1,200 homes including over 200 affordable family homes with approximately 320 currently under development, as well as school provision and commercial and retail outlets.

“The DunBear” took the prize after students from Belhaven Hill School, Dunbar Primary and Grammar entered their own names to the competition. The top 10 names from each school were then selected by the head teacher and passed onto the prefects of the school to narrow down the selection.

The final name was chosen by Andy Scott and stakeholders from Hallhill Developments, who commissioned the piece.

Ken Ross, from Hallhill Developments, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and would like to congratulate Emily Hotchkiss on her name for the bear. Every entry represented real enthusiasm for the project and, at the end of the day, community, history and talent is what this unveiling has been about. 

“The DunBear celebrates the incredible legacy left behind by John Muir. His advocacy for national parks and the environment in general is a lesson to us all that we must do what we can to protect our precious environment.

“Going forward, we hope that many more children, young people and adults alike take an interest, visit and take an interest in ‘The DunBear’.”

Pictures: Colin Hattersley

Steel bear sculpture in East Lothian finally given green light

The legacy of one of East Lothian’s most famous sons is to be immortalised through a five-metre high steel bear sculpted by renowned Scottish artist, Andy Scott, the man behind the Kelpies and other well-loved sculptures.  Continue reading Steel bear sculpture in East Lothian finally given green light