Elgin could learn from Dumfries to bring new life to the town centre, according to a director behind a pioneering scheme.
Community benefit society Midsteeple Quarter was set up by locals in 2017.
The organisation oversees the ownership, maintenance, redevelopment and renting out of the buildings they have bought.
They received funding from the likes of The Holywood Trust, Scottish Government and Creative Scotland to get the ball rolling.
The enterprise has also received generous donations from the local community.
Their long term goal is to generate income from over 60 new homes and 50 new commercial spaces in a new neighbourhood, sheltered within a town block.
What is Midsteeple Quarter doing to breathe new life into Dumfries?
Midsteeple Quarter has already had some wins.
These include:
- The transformation of their first building the Baker’s Oven at 135-139 High Street is set to be finished next February. This will form enterprise space at ground level and part of the first floor as well as seven flats on its upper floors.
- 109 High Street, the Smithy and the Press buildings are all currently being used as pop-up shops. In the long-term, they will be redeveloped.
Can Elgin learn from this model in Dumfries?
Last month, executive director Scott Mackay had the chance to walk along Elgin High Street while he visited to speak at a summit on the future of Moray town centres.
For starters, Elgin’s main street is in a far better position than most town centres, with vacancy rates at less than half the Scottish average.
Here is why he believes an similar model could work in Elgin.
It would mean such an organisation would act as a landlord, developer and owner over the properties they purchase.
Scott said: “I walked along Elgin High Street after having a meal in the Drouthy Coddler.
“Elgin is in a lot of better shape economically than Dumfries.
“There are few vacant units like M&CO and you have the Poundland building under construction.
“So there is activity and a low level of vacancies compare to other towns.
“This would be an enterprise, not a charity or development trust, it is a landlord developer that is owned by the community.
“I do seeing it working in Elgin, but I don’t think there is a need for the scale of what we have done in Dumfries as I didn’t see a whole block of abandoned buildings like the Midsteeple Quarter.
Sustainability key going forward for town centres
He says sustainability is important going forward with town centre regeneration.
He added: “Fundamentally it comes down to financial sustainability especially with more cuts to funding.
“A large amount of public money went into phase one.
“The community has put money in too. The model is to rent out the flats to bring in income which will bring the organisation into financial sustainability.
“Another important thing is to show short-term wins too.
“We have used empty units as pop-up shops to create activity in the town centre. In the long term these buildings will be redeveloped in the future phases.”
How could Elgin start the model?
“I would suggest Elgin could start small. If the community or council can get hold of one of the empty shops and a group can form around that.
“Like a community organisation to run it as a pop-up space – that might be a good start.”
What does a Moray business leader think?
Moray Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sarah Medcraf has revealed the new town centres taskforce could explore models like Midsteeple Quarter.
Last month, plans first surfaced publicly about a new coalition to push forward improvements in Moray town centres.
Work is ongoing.
Mrs Medcraf said: “We still have real opportunity and challenge to make our town centres sustainable and future proof.
“So any type of model that we can look at and encourage people to engage by taking ownership and responsibility like the model in Dumfries is something we will look to explore through the taskforce.”
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