About Midsteeple Quarter

Midsteeple Quarter is a community benefit society set up and run by the people of Dumfries. Our aim is to be a catalyst for positive change - to shape a new future for our town centre, one which responds to the needs of our community and is run for their benefit.

Our core principle is that local people have the innovative solutions to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities which exist in our town.

We believe that community ownership of buildings is a critical component of this, delivering a route towards sustainable prosperity which is fairly shared among everyone in our community.

Midsteeple Quarter currently has more than 680 members. Voting members are people, businesses and organisations from the DG1 and DG2 postcodes covering Dumfries. People from outwith the town can join as non-voting members.

The work of Midsteeple Quarter is overseen by a volunteer board made up of our members and elected by the membership. The day-to-day delivery of work is supported by a small project team, supported by additional consultants to bring in expertise where required in specific areas of work.

Midsteeple Quarter is an entirely independent, standalone organisation, run by the local people who make up the membership. While there has been grateful support from and invaluable work involving the likes of Dumfries and Galloway Council, The Stove Network and many other groups and bodies, Midsteeple Quarter is its own entity and has been since April 2018. You can read our story here. 

Hopes, aims and ambitions for revitalising Dumfries town centre through innovative community-led development are outlined in the blueprint for Midsteeple Quarter. You can read that here.

Which buildings are community-owned?

Through Midsteeple Quarter, the community of Dumfries owns:

  • 135-139 High Street

  • 117-119 High Street (The Press)

  • 113-115 High Street (The Smithy)

  • 111 High Street

  • 109 High Street

  • 51 Bank Street

Construction work is currently underway at 135-139 High Street. 111 High Street is leased long-term, while The Press, The Smithy and 109 High Street are available for pop-up, short and longer-term lease. Find out more about those opportunities here.

How’s all of this funded?

Midsteeple Quarter receives funding from a variety of sources for different aspects of its work, for which we are incredibly grateful. The team is constantly looking for opportunities and funds to which applications can be made in order to advance the community’s ambitions and ensure they are turned into reality as quickly as possible.

Current funders include The Scottish Government, South of Scotland Enterprise, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Holywood Trust, Creative Scotland and the National Lottery.

We are also supported by generous donations from our local community and supporters further afield who have a love for our town and want to see it flourish. 

Fundraising and collaboration with other organisations is a significant part of our work. We are always keen to discuss how we can work with others to achieve our goal of making Dumfries town centre a better place to live, work and visit.

As our project develops and the community’s vision continues to take shape, our hope is that rental income - from homes, enterprises and events - will form an increasingly important element of our finances as we seek to secure long-term sustainability and success for the people of Dumfries.

Over time, we intend to launch a Community Bonds issue, which would allow local people to invest in the project, earning interest on their money in return for leaving it in the project for a fixed term.

 FAQs

  • We have documents which outline our decision-making process You can read our Letting Principles and Priorities by clicking here. Our conditions of let can be read here.

  • Midsteeple Quarter’s work is set out in our masterplan, A Blueprint for the Future of Dumfries. This was officially adopted by Dumfries and Galloway Council as part of its Local Development Plan in November 2019. You can read our masterplan here.

  • Midsteeple Quarter is the trading name of Dumfries High Street Limited, which is a community benefit society (regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) set up in April 2017 with the objective “to carry on any business for the benefit of the community of Dumfries by developing, managing and maintaining assets and initiatives within Dumfries. In particular but not exclusively to enhance the quality of life for inhabitants by bringing assets into community ownership.”

  • The purpose of a community benefit society is to serve the broader interests of the community, in contrast to co-operative societies that serve the interests of members. Community benefit societies are subject to the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and are reliant on the guidance by the Financial Conduct Authority.

  • You can read the Rules of Dumfries High Street Limited (trading as Midsteeple Quarter) by clicking on this link.

  • You can email us on info@midsteeplequarter.org or write to us ℅ Armstrong Watson, 51 Rae Street, Dumfries, DG1 1JD.

Become a member

Community is at the heart of all that we do. You can play your part in shaping a better, fairer future for Dumfries by becoming a member of Midsteeple Quarter