Old Assembly Rooms, 9, 11, 13, Church Street, Dunbar

2-storey and substantial basement. Coursed ironstone rubble with droved Catcraig ashlar quoins and piended slate roof. W entrance front of 5 bays with arched doorway in 2nd over basement bridge; double doors. Steps down to basement. Tall ground floor blind windows sashes with blind windows above. Side elevation blank with wallhead stacks. REAR E ELEVATION: 5 bays. Basement altered for habitation, 3 generous, ground floor sash windows to left (ballroom). Tripartite in 5th bay 1st floor to N multi-pane sashes.

Assembly rooms built for town gatherings of neighbouring farmers; funds raised by subscription. Sited at foot of Cossar's Wynd (formerly Craws Wynd) (Historic Scotland)

1978: McWilliam reports that the rooms are in operation as a furniture shop (see Bibliography). October 1992: SCT receives information that a Repairs Notice has been served on the owner. July 1993: The rooms are sold. SCT understands that the conversion of the rooms into dwellings would most likely be grant aided under the Dunbar Initiative. March 1994: An application is lodged for the conversion of the upper floor into 9 flats. December 1994: Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent are obtained by E. and N. Construction, with works due to start Autumn 1995. November 1996: SCT understands that E. and N. Construction is now in receivership. The rooms were sold at auction last month. October 1998: Planning Permission is sought for the conversion of No. 9 into a residential dwelling. The roof and fenestration would be altered. The plans are opposed by the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland. January 2002: No change reported. 23 January 2004: The East Lothian Courier reports that Dunbar Townscape Heritage Initiative has been awarded £900,000 of Lottery funding, raising hopes that several buildings will be restored. The Musselburgh News repeats the story. May 2006: An application has been submitted to convert the Assembly rooms in to 8 flats including raising of the roof. October 2006:Historic Scotland report that in May 2006 they recommended refusal of LBC for the above works. They felt that the scheme was not appropriate as it included altering the roof profile.

May 2011: External inspection finds slow deterioration evident. The 3 basement flats remain occupied. The cracks now appearing in the south gable are a concern.

8 October 2014: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.

7 June 2019: External inspection finds no significant change since last visit. Continued gradual decline.

7 May 2021: Full planning permission for alteration and conversion of the building into four flats is being sought (20/01413/P).

23 September 2021: East Lothian Courier reports (17/09/2021) that planning permission has been refused and the applicant is appealing the decision.

16 November 2021: East Lothian Courier reports (12/11/2021) that more than 300 people have signed a petition calling for the refusal of the planning permission to turn the building into flats to be reversed.

3 February 2022: East Lothian Courier reports (30/01/2022) that the Scottish Government has upheld the decision to refuse planning permission to convert the building into four flats.

4 February 2022: East Lothian Courier reports (31/01/2022) that following the refusal of planning permission to turn the building into four flats, the owner has sold the building to a private seller that hopes to convert the property into a single family home.

11 April 2022: Listed building consent (22/00293/LBC) being sought for alterations to buildings, installation of external staircase with balcony and balustrade.

13 April 2022: Planning permission (22/002929/P) being sought for alterations to flat and conversion of assembly rooms to form 1 flat and associated works.

29 October 2022: A member of the public advises that works to the electricity have been carried out and works to the roof and masonry are currently underway. Moved to RESTORATION IN PROGRESS.

22 March 2023: Member of the public informs us that restoration works are well underway including the site being re-roofed, with new rainwater goods and masonry repairs, and that works are nearing completion.