Successful Day for Launch of the Midsteeple Quarter!
Tuesday April 10
Saturday 7th April 2018 saw the public launch of the Community Benefit Society for Midsteeple Quarter and the first outing for the Doon Toon Army in a day of fun, music and solidarity in support of a new beginning for Dumfries Town Centre!
Members of the public were invited to the Plainstanes to sign up for the Midsteeple Quarter Community Society, purchase Midsteeple Quarter merchandise and watch the live events which took place over the afternoon which included music, speeches and entertainment from a street performer.
“It was a really great day for the Project and an amazing start to gathering people and pushing forward. There seems to be a real fighting spirit to change the High Street, clean it up and make it a more rewarding place for all. It made us all proud to see so many people come together and say, ‘We can fix this!”
Nearly 150 members of the public signed up to the Midsteeple Quarter Community Benefit Society on Saturday, which was a great result. Membership is free and, as a member, you’ll have a say in owning and directing this very special project for the future of the town. Members can be part of shaping the plan for a town, spread the word, support local business and make your voice heard! They will also be eligible to buy Shares in the project and help put local money to work to build the town that we all want to live in. If you haven’t already, you can sign up online here.
The community of Dumfries were also invited to listen to speeches from local politicians Joan McAlpine MSP, Colin Smyth MSP and Dumfries Provost, Tracey Little, in which they discussed their support for the Project and the important role it plays in bringing life back to Dumfries Town Centre. Local musicians provided entertainment on the Plainstanes for the rest of the afternoon, featuring Fraser Clark, Nicola Black, Paul Winter and Colin James as well as a street performer who wowed passers-by by lying on a bed of nails and fire breathing. There was a great turnout from several local politicians who came along to show their support for the Project, including Cllr Elaine Murray, Leader of Council, Cllr John Martin, Cllr Andy Ferguson, Cllr Jeff Leaver, Cllr John Campbell and Cllr Ronnie Nicholson.
The Midsteeple Quarter idea is built on five years of research and consultation carried out by the local community. The majority of the responses highlighted the need to bring more people to live back in the town centre. This will create more life during the evenings, make greater demand for services and shops and bring a greater variety and richness to the place.
The Midsteeple Quarter aims to take ownership of a group of disused buildings on Dumfries High Street. They will refurbish them and steward them for the community as affordable enterprise space at street level and rent out good quality flats on the floors above. Their plans are to start by re-developing the former Bakers Oven premises on Queensberry Square – subject to an Asset Transfer from the Council. The refurbished building will comprise a street level enterprise space for new local businesses to get started and at least six new flats on the floors above and stretching down Standard Close – bringing the first new housing to one of Dumfries’ iconic Closes for the first time in many generations.
