Dumfries High Street Regeneration Project Completed with Flagship Building

The completion of a significant community-driven initiative aimed at revitalizing a Scottish town’s High Street has been announced. This £7.3m renovation of the former Baker’s Oven building in Dumfries spanned slightly more than two years. The property has been transformed into a community and enterprise center, alongside the creation of seven residential flats. The Scottish government has closely observed this project for its potential as a model for regenerating other town centers. The Midsteeple Quarter, a community benefit society, has acquired six properties within the town, intending to draw more individuals to reside, visit, and shop in the vicinity. The refurbishment of the “derelict shell” located at 139 High Street represents the society’s most ambitious undertaking thus far. RH Irving, the principal contractors, have officially returned the site—now designated The Standard, in tribute to its previous occupation by the local newspaper—and its initial occupants have begun to settle in. This development has been characterized as the “dawn of a new era” for the town center. Should its success in Dumfries be confirmed, this model could potentially be adopted throughout Scotland. Kathryn Hill, Midsteeple Quarter’s interim executive director, stated that the completion of The Standard signifies a significant milestone. She remarked, “I would say this is the flagship project because this is the first of the community-owned buildings that’s been fully redeveloped.” Hill further explained, “It was the first one that the Midsteeple Quarter took ownership of – I think it was back in 2018.” She added, “It came to us through community asset transfer from the council.” Hill indicated that the initiative originated from public apprehension regarding the condition of the town center. She elaborated, “It came about because at the time, all of the buildings in this row were empty.” She continued, “People in the community were pretty fed up with the way it looked and the lack of things happening in the spaces.” Hill also noted, “They felt that there should be more things on the High Street and we need to rebound from what’s been before that obviously wasn’t coming back.” She concluded, “The big retail’s not coming back, so something needed to be done and it was the community that took it upon themselves to take charge of trying to make something happen.” She expressed that witnessing the project’s completion—an endeavor initiated prior to Covid—was a “great feeling.” Kathryn articulated that the objective was to assist in bringing the entire locality “back to life.” She observed, “A lot of local people don’t come to their High Street any more.” She further stated, “We want to create some something that is somewhere where people do want to come and where there is something for them, that brings them here.” Hill emphasized, “It’s really about the mixture of things that we provide that are not currently being provided in the town centre, especially on the High Street, I think that’s what we’re aiming for.” Funding and support for the project have been provided by the Scottish government, South of Scotland Enterprise, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and the Holywood Trust. Additionally, the benefit society holds ownership of four other properties on the High Street and one on Bank Street in the town, for which planning permission for new flats has been secured. Dumfries, often referred to as the Queen of the South, considers itself a leader in community-driven town center regeneration. Should this initiative prove effective in Dumfries, other localities might be prepared to replicate its achievements.