Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust purchased the Rosefield Mills riverfront building earlier this year thanks to the support of the community through their engagement in consultations, volunteering, and donations. With the support of Dumfries and Galloway Council, the historic building was included in the ‘Revitalising Dumfries Town Centre’ plan which recently passed successfully through the Round 1 application to the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grants Fund (RCGF). While news of the Round 2 result is awaited, Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust is preparing for the future.
Building on feedback from extensive community consultation, the RCGF application, if successful, will fund plans to repair the existing historic structure and fabric of the riverside building. Luke Moloney, Chair of the Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust, said, “This would provide a large safe weathertight industrial space, a ‘bricks and mortar festival tent’, that can brought quickly into flexible informal use for themed markets, concerts and performances, festivals, gatherings, exhibitions, trade fairs, and other public and community events and entertainments. The plans will not only create a building for large community events in the town, but also serve to test demand for longer-term uses, including cafés and restaurants, enabling these to be further developed and refined.”
The Trust aims to launch the restored riverfront Rosefield Mills site in 2020 as a community space and events venue to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the Norwegian troops in Dumfries during the Second World War, when they were billeted in the Troqueer and Rosefield Mills. The simple repair and re-use of this former mills building will respect the rich history of the site as well as developing an attractive amenity and resource for Dumfries and the region.
Luke Moloney said, “This is only the beginning of an exciting journey and opportunity for the creation of something special, attractive, accessible and of significant benefit to the community of Dumfries and the wider region.”
