Latest news with #andGallowayCouncil
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Dumfries and Galloway Council apologises over email data breach
A council has apologised after a data breach saw a number of email addresses disclosed in and Galloway Council is understood to have sent the addresses out with a customer survey from its planning department.A statement for the authority said: "We would like to reassure all concerned that this was a low-risk event and that no sensitive personal information was shared."The local authority has taken immediate steps to address the issue and to further strengthen our data handling procedures." The council said that it followed the Information Commissioner's recommended assessments of risk to determine the "most appropriate course of action"."We are confident that there is no ongoing risk to individuals, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of data protection and privacy," it added."We apologise for any concern to those affected by this."
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Next won its fight to open an out-of-town store in Dumfries
The shopping habits of the south of Scotland town of Dumfries have changed significantly down the decades. Back in the 1980s, it was a big deal when clothing giant Next first opened a store on the High Street. The retailer then moved to the nearby Loreburne Shopping Centre - but as the years passed it argued that the town centre was no longer a suitable location and tried to switch to a new location out of town. Next closed its Dumfries store after those plans were blocked - but now, seven years later, it has finally been given permission to open a store in the Cuckoo Bridge Retail Park. The heart of Dumfries would still be largely identifiable to any of its inhabitants of yesteryear. The Midsteeple has towered over the town since the early 18th Century while a statue of Robert Burns and a historic fountain sit at opposite ends of the High Street. Its retail offering, though, has changed significantly since pedestrianisation in the late 1980s. For many years Next thrived in Dumfries, with a site on the High Street and then in a town centre shopping complex. By 2017, though, it had been arguing for some time that shopping demand had changed and it needed to move. It said turnover had fallen by 40% since it opened in the Loreburne Centre and the site no longer suited a business model which had branched out from mainly fashion to include home goods. Traders in Dumfries at the time were worried it would start a "mass exodus" and the council vetoed the plans. The case went as far as the Court of Session and was twice rejected by the Scottish government's planning and environmental appeals division. Next closed its doors in February 2018 with the loss of 25 jobs but always kept an eye on a potential return to Dumfries. A fresh application to lift planning conditions at the retail park in order to allow Next to open in a vacant unit came forward last year. Dumfries and Galloway Council had previously rejected those proposals, saying the company had not proved there was no viable alternative in the town centre. Planning conditions at Cuckoo Bridge restricted units to the sale of bulky goods like DIY, hardware and furniture and excluded the likes of clothing, footwear or toys. This was to exercise "proper control" over the development and avoid it "evolving" into something which could harm Dumfries town centre. However, council officers concluded that this time around "suitable justification" had been given to drop the restrictions. "The supporting information suggests that there are no appropriate sequentially preferable sites in the town centre and that any retail impact on the town centre would be negligible," it said. And so, at a planning meeting on Wednesday, the local authority approved a change of conditions which would allow Next to return. The company said it welcomed the chance to open once more in a town where it last had a store some seven years ago. "Next are delighted to get planning," said a statement. "We are grateful for the help from Dumfries and Galloway Council in getting to this stage and look forward to reopening a brand new store in Dumfries for our customers." Richie Nicoll, who chairs the Dumfries Town Board which is looking at ways to revive the town centre, said he was "thrilled" by the decision - despite the out of town location. "While we would have welcomed their return to the heart of the town centre, it's fantastic to see a retailer of their calibre investing in our area once again - especially with the recent job losses at Homebase," he said. "The presence of Next will undoubtedly draw people back to shop locally, and hopefully also encourage other businesses to invest in the town. "Our focus now is on encouraging those visitors to explore and enjoy all that our town centre has to offer. "It's another positive step forward for Dumfries." Retail giant departs after store refusal
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Next won its fight to open an out-of-town store in Dumfries
The shopping habits of the south of Scotland town of Dumfries have changed significantly down the decades. Back in the 1980s, it was a big deal when clothing giant Next first opened a store on the High Street. The retailer then moved to the nearby Loreburne Shopping Centre - but as the years passed it argued that the town centre was no longer a suitable location and tried to switch to a new location out of town. Next closed its Dumfries store after those plans were blocked - but now, seven years later, it has finally been given permission to open a store in the Cuckoo Bridge Retail Park. The heart of Dumfries would still be largely identifiable to any of its inhabitants of yesteryear. The Midsteeple has towered over the town since the early 18th Century while a statue of Robert Burns and a historic fountain sit at opposite ends of the High Street. Its retail offering, though, has changed significantly since pedestrianisation in the late 1980s. For many years Next thrived in Dumfries, with a site on the High Street and then in a town centre shopping complex. By 2017, though, it had been arguing for some time that shopping demand had changed and it needed to move. It said turnover had fallen by 40% since it opened in the Loreburne Centre and the site no longer suited a business model which had branched out from mainly fashion to include home goods. Traders in Dumfries at the time were worried it would start a "mass exodus" and the council vetoed the plans. The case went as far as the Court of Session and was twice rejected by the Scottish government's planning and environmental appeals division. Next closed its doors in February 2018 with the loss of 25 jobs but always kept an eye on a potential return to Dumfries. A fresh application to lift planning conditions at the retail park in order to allow Next to open in a vacant unit came forward last year. Dumfries and Galloway Council had previously rejected those proposals, saying the company had not proved there was no viable alternative in the town centre. Planning conditions at Cuckoo Bridge restricted units to the sale of bulky goods like DIY, hardware and furniture and excluded the likes of clothing, footwear or toys. This was to exercise "proper control" over the development and avoid it "evolving" into something which could harm Dumfries town centre. However, council officers concluded that this time around "suitable justification" had been given to drop the restrictions. "The supporting information suggests that there are no appropriate sequentially preferable sites in the town centre and that any retail impact on the town centre would be negligible," it said. And so, at a planning meeting on Wednesday, the local authority approved a change of conditions which would allow Next to return. The company said it welcomed the chance to open once more in a town where it last had a store some seven years ago. "Next are delighted to get planning," said a statement. "We are grateful for the help from Dumfries and Galloway Council in getting to this stage and look forward to reopening a brand new store in Dumfries for our customers." Richie Nicoll, who chairs the Dumfries Town Board which is looking at ways to revive the town centre, said he was "thrilled" by the decision - despite the out of town location. "While we would have welcomed their return to the heart of the town centre, it's fantastic to see a retailer of their calibre investing in our area once again - especially with the recent job losses at Homebase," he said. "The presence of Next will undoubtedly draw people back to shop locally, and hopefully also encourage other businesses to invest in the town. "Our focus now is on encouraging those visitors to explore and enjoy all that our town centre has to offer. "It's another positive step forward for Dumfries." Retail giant departs after store refusal
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Bat surveys begin for Dumfries flood protection scheme
A team of ecologists is starting to assess bat activity and the presence of any species as part of flood protection plans in Dumfries.A multi-million pound project has been drawn up to help reduce the number of incidents in the Whitesands part of preparations, ecologists using thermal cameras, infra-red cameras and bat detectors will be working to check for and Galloway Council said the surveys would mostly be carried out on public land but they might need access to private gardens or greenspace and would contact businesses or homeowners before doing so. Ground investigation works for the flood scheme were completed last summer and a team has been appointed to deliver a detailed design in time to meet a Scottish government funding deadline of 31 March bat survey will check the area for any species which are present and their locations before any major work which might disturb them can local authority said there could be follow-up surveys in May, June and August."You may see the ecologists inspecting trees, buildings, and structures," it said."This will involve tree climbing during May, so if you see them using ladders or ropes, please give them space."Opponents have repeatedly called for the Whitesands flooding project to be dropped due to costs, visual impact and the loss of have also been raised about its impact on a historic fair which has been held in the area for centuries.
BBC News
26-01-2025
- General
- BBC News
Historic Dumfries fair fears for future over flood scheme
A historic fair in the south of Scotland has been put at the top of a "red list" of endangered events due to fears it will be moved from its traditional location by a flood prevention hosts two fairs - in March and September each year - in the Whitesands area and has done so for charity Fair Scotland said it - along with others - was under threat while many events had already been and Galloway Council said "positive discussions" were ongoing between the fair and the Whitesands project team and would continue throughout its development. Fair Scotland has launched a national campaign to save fairs and started collating the list of lost and endangered said that fairs - many of which date back centuries - provide a livelihood for an 8,000-strong community of show Scotland co-chairs Dr TS Beall and Dr Mitch Miller said they hoped that by highlighting the fairs which had been lost and the ones under threat they could save any more from Dumfries, they said the uncertainty over any potential move away from the Whitesands to make way for flood defences put the event in council hopes work can start on that multi-million pound project in 2026 although there are still a number of steps to be completed in order to meet a Scottish government funding also faces significant local opposition due to concerns over loss of parking, visual impact and costs. Dr Beall said there was a risk the Dumfries fairs might simply "wither and die" if they could no longer be accommodated on the Whitesands."There is a very current situation regarding the flood protection plans and it is, simply put, that the plans as they are currently in place may not allow the fairs," she said."These fairs may not be able to continue to be staged on the Whitesands, where they have literally been operating every single year for probably 700 to 800 years, outwith Covid."She said conversations were ongoing with the design team to see if things could be changed and she said they were grateful for the chance to talk to them. "We really want to highlight to people in Dumfries and Galloway and for everyone living in Dumfries how fragile the fairs are," she added."They seem so robust and lively and amazing - and they are all those things - but they're also this kind of incredibly fragile ecosystem of individual family firms that travel from all across Scotland and north and central England to put rides and stalls together."I think if you disrupt that ecosystem, for example, by moving the fair to another location or by constricting the fair or shunting the fair into a wee parking lot nearby what that will do is allow the fair to wither and die."It may not be immediate, but if you move it, if you constrain it, if you take it off of its historic grounds, it will wither and die - that's what our research suggests."She said she hoped a way could be found to allow the fairs to continue throughout construction and after the defences are completed - should the work go ahead."I think it is the kind of thing that once you lose it you will miss it," she said, adding that it could have an effect on other smaller fairs across the region. Dr Miller, who is from a family of show people, said the town held a special place in his heart."My parents had very different travelling routes and Dumfries was one of the very few fairs where they could see each other during the season," he explained."After the fair closed, they were allowed to have a date which consisted of my dad walking my mum up and down the fair when it was closed and then back inside every night."To say it's important would be an understatement." He too said that when fairs were moved they were "diminished" and would often go into decline."I suppose what you could say is our medieval ancestors knew what they were doing when they sited fares," he said."They sited them where the flow of people and life did come together within the town, and that actually doesn't change that much over time."When a fair is shifted to a new site it's very hard for it to recover."The local authority said talks with the fair would continue throughout the project which it hopes can start in 2026."Dumfries and Galloway Council is aware of the importance of the historic Dumfries Fair to the local community, and they will continue to work together to consider alternatives," it said in a statement.
