Yahoo News East Lothian mum married at Brunton Hall says demolition is 'soul-destroying'
An East Lothian local who was married in the Brunton Hall has spoken of the “soul-destroying” news of the building’s demolition.
Lynda Baird-Naysmith was born in Musselburgh and lived in the town for over 20 years. Like many Musselburgh locals , she experienced the highs and lows of life in the Brunton Hall - where marriages, births, and deaths were once registered.
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The local landmark was opened by the Queen Mother in 1971 and has served as a pillar of the community ever since - hosting concerts, theatre productions, and weddings.
Yet sadly, it is now set to be demolished after the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in its roof panels rendered it unsafe.
Lynda, 61, tied the knot with her husband Alfred John Baird on June 24, 1983 and registered the marriage in the Brunton Hall’s registry department.
The births of all four of Lynda’s children - now aged 39, 36, 24, and 22 - were also registered at the venue.
Relatives were registered at the Brunton for two generations in Lynda’s family. She is the youngest of nine children, all of whom were registered there as well.
Lynda also recalls more sombre memories in the Brunton Hall. When her mother, father, brother, and niece sadly passed away, their deaths were recorded in the registry department.
The local spoke to the impact the building’s demolition had on the community she grew up in.
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She said: “It’s not just a building. It’s a part of Musselburgh. It belongs to people from Musselburgh. The news is soul-destroying to be honest.
“I was born around when the Brunton Hall was built and now I’m going to see it go in my lifetime. Buildings are meant to last longer than people.
“When they built Brunton Hall and gave it to the Musselburgh people, it was meant to last more than 40 years.”
But Lynda says Musselburgh is losing more than a place filled with memories, emphasising that the Brunton Hall was also a functional space that held community amenities.
She lamented the loss of the Brunton’s cinema, theatre, offices, bistro, bar, and public toilets.
Lynda continued: “Everything in Musselburgh was based in the Brunton Hall. It doesn’t feel the same atmosphere without it. Losing the Hall is like we’ve lost our right arm.”
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