Staff trying to help customers at the local council offices appear to be unsure about the new switchboard number.

The main number for the Brunton Hall — which was 0131 665 3711 for years — was changed in January following a system upgrade which was designed to improve efficiency at the council's offices in Musselburgh, Tranent and Prestonpans.

Impossible

Unfortunately, some customers have found it virtually impossible to obtain the new number for Musselburgh, including Denholm Road resident Margaret Oliver, who decided to walk to Brunton Hall when all other means failed.

She told the News: "When you call the old number there is no message to tell the caller the new number. I then looked up the Yellow Pages, which also told me the old number.

"When I phoned 118 118 they proceeded to put me through to 665 3711 and came back to say the number was not connecting. This cost me £1 and I was still no further forward.

"This must be very frustrating for many of the old people who want to contact the council and no telephone services appear to have the correct number."

Unaware

When the News called the council to clarify the situation earlier this week, we too were given a wrong number before eventually being given the correct number for customer services — which would appear to be 0131 653 5220.

A spokesman for East Lothian Council said all the numbers would be clearly laid out in the council's advert when the new edition of the Phone Book was published.

"We can understand that in the interim some people may be unaware of the new number, but we have done as much as possible to publicise this change in our material about council tax and rents," she added.