Midsteeple Quarter supports Scotland Loves Local Week

We’re delighted to be supporting Scotland Loves Local Week 2025, celebrating - and encouraging support for - the people and enterprises which are so vital to our community.

This year’s theme of People Make Places could not be more appropriate for us, given the community-led action which led to our community benefit society’s creation and our ongoing community-first approach to achieving our members’ vision for breathing new life into Dumfries town centre.

We were delighted to join some of our tenants, along with representatives of Dumfries Town Board, Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce and The Stove Network in highlighting support form throughout the community for choosing local and supporting local businesses.

Figures released by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the organisation which spearheads Scotland Loves Local with support from the Scottish Government, show that  £7.5m-a-year could be driven directly into Dumfries and Galloway’s economy if everyone in the region spent just £1-a-week more with local businesses.

That’s a simple step with a significant impact.

As Leah Halliday, founder and owner of Flourish in our community-owned building at 111 High Street, told STP:  “It’s so important that the community shops locally. Any support that they can give local businesses ensures that money stays in the local economy, helping to keep our jobs and shops open. Even the smallest of purchases makes a difference.”

Our vision to create a new neighbourhood in Dumfries town centre is powered by community ownership, creating new opportunities for people to live here, to work here and to visit more. We’re demonstrating how that can come together with our flagship development at The Standard, as well as through the use of our other community-owned buildings.

And it was fantastic to see Julie Langlands at The Bust Stop (109 High Street) and Jane Gordon from Batter & Patter (113-115 High Street) joining our Executive Director Tim Cowen and Enterprise Manager Jakob Kaye in supporting the rallying cry for us all to “think local first” as well.

Jakob, who works with an array of people and organisations to create enterprising opportunities for them in Midsteeple Quarter, said: "The fact that people make places could not be truer than in Midsteeple Quarter, where the community's vision to breathe new life into the High Street is opening new opportunities for our town centre as a place to live, work and visit.

"Our community-owned buildings are home to an array of locally-owned enterprises - from shops to technology start-ups - all of whom need the support of local people to thrive. Getting behind them, helps to create a better future for us all."

STP flies the flag for the critical part that towns and local neighbourhoods play in creating a better Scotland and the need to invest in them.

Its Chief Officer, Kimberley Guthrie, said: “The reality is that £7.5m is the tip of the iceberg of what can be achieved in Dumfries and Galloway. If £1 more every week can make a transformational impact to the people who make our places, just imagine what is truly possible by choosing local even more.

“Money stays local for longer when you spend with local businesses.The multiplier effect is massive. These businesses spend with other businesses, who employ other local people, who then spend with other local businesses. Every penny spent is an investment in the future of your area.

“The jobs and livelihoods of your neighbours, friends and family depend on you doing so.”