LIVE events may suffer due to poor performance space allocated in the £51 million rebuild of Peebles High School, a meeting has heard.

Sam Coe, a member of Peebles and District Community Council (PCC), said that the school currently enjoys a “huge reputation” for staging live events such as musical shows.

Mr Coe said: “The stage as planned is more like a lecture hall.

“There is no way that stage will manage with large groups of musicians and it will hamper the music department’s ability to stage performances.”

Scottish Borders Council listened to objections to the plans at a series of public meetings in February and vastly improved the assembly space so that it will accommodate a full year group at the 1,400-pupil school.

Mr Coe added: “We are either going to have to keep the existing hall or the children will have to use the Burgh Hall.

“It would be embarrassing if that happened.”

PCC chairman Peter Maudsley said: “It would be seriously disappointing if the provision is not as good as at present."

Tweeddale East councillor Julie Pirone said: “We have other facilities in the town which have to be used.

“Some of the teachers I have spoken with say they like to go to the Eastgate Theatre with performances.

“It helps pupils learn about other buildings and their challenges such as lighting.”

Tweeddale West councillor Viv Thomson said: “We need to look at what we have and how we use the rest of the town.”

Mr Maudsley replied: “These concerts generate income for the school and alternative hall hire would reduce this.

“We need to expand this discussion into a wider debate in future.”

Ms Pirone said she would raise these points again with the project team.

She added that the council is trying to encourage the head teacher to take a lead in communications during the build.