Midsteeple Quarter’s work to breathe new life into Dumfries High Street has been hailed as an example of town centre regeneration “at its best”.

The praise came from Matt Vickers MP, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Future of Retail at Westminster, after he heard about and saw the progress of our work.

The politician visited Midsteeple Quarter as part of a fact-finding trip by Power to Change, an independent trust which supports community businesses.

Delegates were keen to hear experiences of work to regenerate town centres across Scotland to what lessons can learned for work south of the border.

As part of that, they were keen to see Midsteeple Quarter as a real-time example of how community ownership can lay firm foundations for a better future and act as a catalyst for wider change.

With the support of townsfolk, we have bought five buildings in the town on behalf of the community. This is part of our plan to help reenergise the town centre as a place where people live, as well as working and visiting.

**Matt Vickers MP, centre, with representatives from Power to Change, Midsteeple Quarter, The Guild Dumfries, The Stove Network and Scotland’s Towns Partnership**

Mr Vickers, the MP for Stockton, said: ““The Midsteeple Quarter project is an example of town centre regeneration at its best. It is essential that we find new ways to aid other communities who want to take back control of high streets that have lost their way, like they have in Dumfries.

“I look forward to talking to colleagues in Westminster about what I learned in Scotland, such as the importance of funding which works for the local community and supporting the inspiring, enterprising individuals that take such work forward.”

The Power to Change delegation took part in a roundtable event in Flourish - where a wide range of issues affecting the future of high streets were discussed - as well as enjoying a walking tour around the area, including seeing our phase one construction work at 135-139 High Street.

Midsteeple Quarter chair Peter Kormylo, vice-chair Alison Macleod and executive director Scott Mackay took part in the discussion, as did The Guild Dumfries director Leah Halliday, The Stove Network chair Tony Fitzpatrick, Stephen Baker of Dumfries and Galloway Council and Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) chief officer Phil Prentice.

Power to Change say the regeneration of Midsteeple Quarter, the UK’s first community-owned high street redevelopment project, provided them with vital insight into how high streets across the country can successfully diversify away from a retail-dominated model towards to a more sustainable, community-led approach.

Nick Plumb, High Streets lead at Power to Change and board member of the Government’s High Streets Task Force, said: “The regeneration of Midsteeple Quarter is an inspiration. It demonstrates how community access to and ownership of high street buildings can have a powerful impact -tackling vacancy rates and revitalising town centres.

“This community-led high street brings diversity and distinctiveness to Dumfries, which drives footfall to the town centre. With the right support, this is something that can be replicated right across the UK.”

**Fact-finding discussions brought the delegation to Midsteeple Quarter**

Scott Mackay outlined much of the work that Midsteeple Quarter is doing, highlighting its huge benefits as well as some of the challenges faced.

He said: “We are extremely proud of the story we are developing here in Dumfries, putting community ownership at the heart of a better future. We are delighted to have shared this with Power to Change and Matt Vickers.

“We hope that the lessons we are learning here can prove helpful for other communities across the country. There are many strategic issues which need to be addressed at a national level. But, at the grassroots, it’s the community which has the energy to drive the solutions needed to make towns better, as we are demonstrating.”

Phil Prentice shared insight from work taking place in communities across Scotland and said afterwards: “As Scotland’s Town Centre Action Plan Review demonstrated, the time to put right the wrongs of the past and put our town centres first is now. This is a time of opportunity where we can make our towns great places to live, work and visit. We must embrace that.

“By collaborating, sharing ideas, experiences and putting communities first we can make progress. That makes conversations such as those with Power to Change and Matt Vickers really important. I hope the discussions in Dumfries and the story of Midsteeple Quarter provide food for thought.”

The visit follows the launch of Take Back The High Street: Why Now is the time for a High Street Buyout Fund, a report from Power to Change outlining that high streets have reached a tipping point, with record vacancies. Midsteeple Quarter features in that as a case study.

Power to Change is calling for a new £350million High Street Buyout Fund that will help local communities secure property on the high street and support a transition away from the failing retail-dominated high street to new, diversified high street that puts community in the driving seat. It is specifically calling on government to invest £100million of Levelling Up Fund money to help capitalise the fund.

The organisation says community-owned spaces contribute £220m to the UK economy - and that 56p of every £1 they spend stays in the local economy, compared with just 40p for large private sector firms. Where there is community ownership on a high street, vacancy rates are reduced. Importantly, these spaces provide affordable, appropriate services and products for the community – they more nimbly meet shifting local demand than traditional high street occupants.

It added: “Despite the clear benefits of community ownership on the high street, community organisations and local people often face an uphill battle when trying to secure space in their town centres. Access to capital which can move at the pace of private investors is lacking. The skills necessary to navigate the commercial property market, whether renting or buying, exist in pockets but are not widespread.”