Dumfries community group snaps up more town centre stores

The community group has bought another two town centre buildings in Dumfries

A community group has bought up more empty shops in Dumfries as part of a bid to regenerate the town centre.

The Midsteeple Quarter described the purchase of 109 and 111 High Street as a "huge step forward".

It now owns five town centre properties which it aims to redevelop in order to "breathe new life" into the area as a place to live and work.

Manager Scott Mackay said it hoped to get the buildings "repaired and reoccupied" as soon as possible.

The community group is buying up shops around the historic Midsteeple in Dumfries

The purchase of the latest properties is another step towards the group's efforts to buy up sites around the historic Midsteeple in the heart of Dumfries.

It has been backed by the Scottish Land Fund, South of Scotland Enterprise, The Castansa Trust and a public fundraising campaign.

Last year the project was hailed as a "unique and ambitious" example of how to save the UK's high streets by a London School of Economics Report.

Evie Copland, vice chair of the group, thanked everyone who had supported the latest purchase which she said would help their "ambitious plans" for the town centre.