£20m Investment to Revitalize Dumfries Town Centre
Plans to restore derelict buildings, celebrate heritage, and increase visitor numbers are among the initiatives announced in the first phase of a £20 million investment aimed at regenerating Dumfries town centre.
A town board, established to coordinate the "levelling up" funding announced by the UK government in 2023, has selected a variety of projects as part of its Pride of Place programme.
The projects include repairing a leaking roof at the Theatre Royal and supporting community activities at the Loreburn shopping centre.
An empty building on the High Street is set to be converted into rental flats and commercial space, while the Big Burns Supper festival will be renamed the Dumfries and Galloway Carnival, a free three-day event held in January.
Town Board Aims for Lasting Impact
The Dumfries Town Board stated its goal is to deliver "a real and lasting impact across the town."
Chair Kenny Bowie emphasized the expected benefits of the projects, including job creation, economic growth, and increased footfall in the town centre.
"We spent two years consulting, meeting with the public, finding out what Dumfries needs to regenerate and involve more of its communities," Bowie told BBC Scotland News.
"The launch is the start of bringing that to life through deliverable projects."
Bowie further explained the intention to attract more people to Dumfries town centre to utilize its facilities.
"There's more construction, more regeneration, so ultimately that will lead to more jobs. It will also help the economy because everything that we're doing is first and foremost using local people."
Community and Heritage Projects
Additional projects receiving funding include a community workshop focused on recycling and refurbishing bicycles, offering workshops on bicycle maintenance, and establishing a "repair cafe" to assist residents in fixing household items.
The concept of a visitor centre highlighting Dumfries' medieval history will be explored through a pilot project led by the Medieval Bruce Heritage Trust.
Efforts will also be made to leverage the town's association with Robert Burns, the renowned poet who died in Dumfries in 1796 at the age of 37. The Burns Tourism Partnership aims to transform Dumfries into a premier global destination for admirers of the poet.
Additional Funded Projects and Public Engagement
Other projects benefiting from funding in the first year of the 10-year programme have been identified, though specific details were not outlined in this announcement.
Residents and stakeholders will have opportunities to view plans, ask questions, and provide feedback during public drop-in sessions at The Hub in Friars Vennel, Dumfries, scheduled for next Monday from 10:00 to 14:00 and Thursday from 17:00 to 19:00.
