Fundraising Boost for The Oven

Thursday December 05

Midsteeple Quarter are delighted to report that the Holywood Trust has made a commitment of £350,000 towards the costs of the re-development of The Oven.

The Oven is the first in a group of underused buildings on Dumfries High Street which Midsteeple Quarter have identified as a site for their bold initiative which will see local people developing their own High Street as a contemporary living, working, socialising, learning and enterprising hub – a new vision of Dumfries town centre based on local views and aspirations.

Scott Mackay, Chair of the Midsteeple Quarter Project welcomed the news. He said; “I am delighted and grateful for the support of the Holywood Trust, who have grasped the MSQ Vision for transforming our High Street. Their financial contribution is significant and invaluable to helping us make the new Oven building a reality.”

This is an impressive start to raising the money needed to deliver the project and in keeping with the foundations of the Midsteeple Quarter that it is a local Trust backing our community to lead on the regeneration of our town centre.

Midsteeple Quarter are waiting to hear about other funding applications that have been submitted and the news of this support from  will really help them make the case that others are backing the project.

Karen Ward Boyd, Director of The Holywood Trust commented; “On behalf of the Trust I would like to thank Dumfries High Street Limited and all those who have contributed to the development of the Midsteeple Quarter project so far. This is a bold, ambitious project which could lead to a more creative regeneration of Dumfries town centre, developing a cultural of activity within the town and securing its future. The project has the potential to make the town centre more attractive and relevant to the younger generation. The Trust is very pleased to be able to support this first building redevelopment, The Oven, with a capital grant and hopes that other funders will also support the project.”

Behind the scenes, The Holywood Trust has been an important supporter of much of the development work in getting Midsteeple Quarter to this stage. All the members of Midsteeple Quarter would like to register their gratitude to the Trustees for their faith in the project and support for the local community in trying to improve our town centre.

Plans in place for Midsteeple Quarter will see the first re-development works for the The Oven starting on site in May 2020.