Spiegeltent returns to Dumfries for Big Burns Supper

The Spiegeltent will be back at the Big Burns Supper in January but at a new location

Organisers of the Big Burns Supper say they have "listened to their audience" by bringing back the Spiegeltent venue to the Dumfries festival next year.

It was dropped this year after being sited next to the town's Loreburn Hall for a number of editions.

It was said at the time the festival had "outgrown" the venue and needed to look at other options.

However, it is now planned to bring it back to the Whitesands car park for the 2018 event from 18 to 28 January.

They also plan to introduce two new "strands" to the event - a comedy festival and a fringe festival.

Tickets for a number of events have already gone on sale with more line-up announcements expected in the coming months.

The comedy festival will take place at the Easterbrook Hall with the fringe festival at smaller venues around the town.

Graham Main, executive producer of the town's Electric Theatre Workshop which runs Big Burns Supper Festival, said the audience had made it "very clear" they wanted the Spiegeltent back.

It will be surrounded by a brand new festival village with additional bars and fringe performance spaces, themed around a "Winter Garden" concept.