Rent-free home for Big Burns Supper approved

Rich Hall is among the Big Burns Supper performers rescheduled for later in the year

A council has agreed to hand over a venue rent-free for use by the Big Burns Supper festival.

The Dumfries-based event was unable to go ahead in January due to the Covid pandemic and has now rescheduled a number of shows throughout the year.

It had been given approval to use the town's Loreburn Hall as a foyer and ticket office but has now received the green light to extend that use.

Dumfries and Galloway Council agreed they could have the site until the end of February next year at no cost.

The Electric Theatre Company - trading as the Big Burns Supper - submitted the request to use the building after cancelling events earlier this year.

Many of them - including appearances by comedians Rosie Jones, Russell Kane and Rich Hall - will now be staged throughout the summer.

A report to the local authority said the rental of the site would normally be about £50,000 per year but that was unlikely to be achievable in the short term.

It said allowing the property to be used by the Big Burns Supper would help to keep it in good condition.

The hall has been declared surplus to requirements by the council and it has still to decide its longer term future.

A report on its fate after the lease by the festival ends is due to be prepared for later this year.