The Guild Dumfries wins at Scotland Loves Local Awards

A social enterprise has won a top award for its work to champion creativity and help breathe new life into Dumfries High Street.

The Guild Dumfries was named as winner of the Enterprising Communities category at the Scotland Loves Local Awards.

Organised by Scotland's Towns Partnership (STP), the awards recognise and reward remarkable work taking place to improve communities.

Judges in the enterprise category - sponsored by South of Scotland Enterprise - heard how the organisation has created “a new and vibrant retail space, selling high quality, original local products”.

On top of its well established monthly makers market, The Guild has opened its shop Flourish in a prominent formerly disused building on Dumfries High Street, renting  space from Midsteeple Quarter as part of an ambitious town centre regeneration project.

Flourish has seen tremendous success in its first 12 months, selling products from more than 50 small creative businesses, mainly from Dumfries and Galloway. Above the ground floor retail space is a workshop and meetings space, where a vibrant programme of activities - from art classes for children and adults to knitting and upcycling skills sessions - take place.

The nomination stated: “The feedback from local people has been overwhelming. There is now a shop and workshop space using a much-loved empty building, providing items not available elsewhere. People feel they can support local businesses and small businesses in a simple way. “

It added that the “once sad and empty shop” now has a vibrant window display, with it and the market - which includes music and street entertainment - turning the High Street into a “fun place to be”, creating a reason to be in town and trade for other businesses.

Leah Halliday, one of the directors at The Guild Dumfries, said: “We’re absolutely delighted. This is great news for us.

“We’re looking forward to more projects and more ideas. We celebrate the first birthday of Flourish next week, so this is a lovely end to the first year of one of our main projects.”

Award winners were announced as part of the Scotland’s Towns Conference, which took place at CentreStage in Kilmarnock on Wednesday (November 16th), in partnership with East Ayrshire Council.

Diane Laws, left, and Leah Halliday, two of the directors of The Guild Dumfries, at the Scotland Loves Local Awards. Picture: Jamie Simpson / Scotland’s Towns Partnership

The Guild have been congratulated on their success by their landlords at Midsteeple Quarter, which is using community ownership to buy and bring empty and neglected Dumfries High Street buildings back to life.

Executive Director Scott Mackay said: “This is a thoroughly well deserved award. Through creativity and commitment, The Guild have brought something special to Dumfries High Street. We are delighted to see what a success Flourish is and to have played our part in making it possible.”

Elsewhere in Dumfries and Galloway, The Furniture Project - based in Stranraer - won the Climate and Net Zero Town award for its work to recycle and reuse furniture across Wigtownshire. Meanwhile, South of Scotland Community Housing was runner-up in the Town Centre Living Award category for its redevelopment of Wigtown’s former Bank of Scotland building.

STP Chairman, Professor Leigh Sparks, said: “The dedication of people to deliver for their community never fails to amaze us.

“And, whether through responding to the climate emergency, improving our streetscape, creating new homes or urging people to choose local, our finalists and award winners stand testament to the innovation and determination which will create better town centres as part of a stronger, more sustainable Scotland. Their communities should be very proud of them.

“Well done to our finalists, all of those nominated and thank you to our sponsors.”

STP is the organisation spearheading the Scotland Loves Local campaign, supported by the Scottish Government.

For more information about the awards and the wider Scotland Loves Local campaign, go to www.lovelocal.scot and follow #ScotlandLovesLocal on social media.