Latest news with #DumfriesAndGalloway
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Dumfries' Ewart Library reopens with restored Victorian interior
The historic main library in Dumfries has officially reopened following months of restoration at the Ewart Library was designed to modernise facilities while uncovering original Victorian features of the Ewart closed in January to make time for "careful restoration" work, which revealed a mosaic floor and burnt-orange wall tiles. Local people from across the area attended the grand opening which featured a Ewart Library branded cake and balloons. The council said refurbishment at the Ewart focused on "maintaining and celebrating the building's heritage while bringing in modern elements to enhance the visitor experience."Work included "careful restoration" of original windows, mosaic flooring and foyer artwork and history boards were also installed telling the library's the building also saw modern upgrades to lighting, improved digital facilities and better accessibility. The building was designed in 1899 by Alan Burgess Crombie, who was from a family of Dumfries-based also designed other famous landmarks in the town, like Loreburn Hall and Rosefield of the library took five years; the large stained-glass window above the bifurcated foyer staircase was an original Shirely, the building's first librarian, also found the Guid Nychburris festival, that celebrated it's 90th anniversairy in 2022. Councillor Tracey Little - Dumfries Provost and self-proclaimed library "shoosh-er" - attended the celebrations."I love this building," Ms Little said."This used to be the only library in the whole of Dumfries. Any school holidays, I'd spend whole days in here."I'm really happy when I walked in I didn't see a different building inside. It's modernied, as in technology wise, it's modernised to make it more accessible. But it doesnt look modernised - the heritage is there."Ms Little said the funding in the library wasn't just an investment in a building, but in the Doonhamers it serves."If you're a job seeker you come here, and it's a safe place for children to come and learn and have fun - for all of us they're sanctuaries," she said.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Do not travel warning after tree blocks West Coast Main Line
Trains on some routes travelling in and out of Scotland on the West Coast Main Line have been cancelled for the rest of the West Coast confirmed services north and south of the border have been suspended due to damage to overhead wires between Lockerbie and TransPennine Express said no trains will run between Preston and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow train operator said the line was blocked after a tree fell near Beattock in Dumfries and Galloway. Anyone with tickets can be used on the same route on Tuesday passengers who no longer want to travel due to the disruption can request a full refund from the point of disruption is expected to last until the end of the day. Alternative routes Andy McClements, from TransPennine Express, said: "It's rare that we advise customers not to travel, but it is likely to take much of today to clear the tree from the lines and we cannot guarantee travel between Carlisle and either Glasgow or Edinburgh."We will have additional members of staff out and about on the route today to help our customers, and we are allowing customers with tickets to travel tomorrow to help get them where they need to be."TransPennine Express said anyone who decides to travel on Monday can use their ticket on the following services:Between Edinburgh and Manchester in both directions on the East Coast Main Line (via York) on TransPennine Express servicesBetween Edinburgh and York in both directions on any LNER or CrossCountry serviceBetween Edinburgh and Newcastle in both directions on Lumo servicesBetween Carlisle and Newcastle, and Manchester Airport and Lancaster in both directions on Northern servicesBetween Glasgow and Edinburgh in both directions on ScotRail services
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Crawick Multiverse: The coal mine which became a work of art
As relics of our industrial past go, the Crawick Multiverse is a pretty unusual an opencast coalmine in Upper Nithsdale in southern Scotland, it is now a landscape artwork created by the late Charles was officially opened 10 years ago on the longest day of the year, the summer solstice of 21 June hope was that it could attract international visitors and help boost businesses in nearby Sanquhar, Kelloholm and Kirkconnel. Materials found on the site - including 2,000 large boulders - were used to create the £1m project - funded by the Duke of Buccleuch on his own land - followed in the footsteps of other works by Mr Jencks including the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, also in Dumfries and artist - who died in 2019 - said at the time of the opening: "This former opencast coal site, nestled in a bowl of large rolling hills, never did produce enough black gold to keep digging."But it did, accidentally, create the bones of a marvellous ecology."This work of land art, created primarily from earth and boulders on the site, celebrates the surrounding Scottish countryside and its landmarks, looking outwards and back in time." The Duke of Buccleuch was delighted with the in 2015, he said the site had become a "brutal eyesore" and an "embarrassment".So when his "neighbour from down the road" - Mr Jencks - had offered to transform the area, they were "just over the moon".Reflecting on it today, he said he was still impressed with the final outcome. "The vision of Charles Jencks, which I supported, extended far beyond its original purpose of removing a derelict opencast mine eyesore to the creation of an internationally-recognised work of land art," he said."Charles's ambition to represent in artistic form elements of the vast cosmos in which our planet is but a minute speck, included galaxies, superclusters and the multiverse itself."He sought the input of the leading international scientists in the field including Lord Rees, the Astronomer Royal and won their admiration."He praised the work of the trust which now runs it and wished them all the best for their second decade. Ten years on, though, what has the impact been?Ronnie Bradford, community development officer at the nearby Sanquhar Enterprise Company, said it had brought "several benefits" to the area."The unique and inspired transformation of the former opencast coal mine has attracted visitors, supporting local businesses, increasing tourism in the area and raising the profile of Upper Nithsdale," he said."Local residents have been hired for roles at the site with local trades being engaged in developing the site, ensuring good community involvement in its operations."He said it also hosted school visits, community group trips and promoted affordable access for nearby residents."The open-air venue hosts festivals, performance art and music events, bringing large-scale entertainment and social opportunities to the region often at 'off season' times of the year." The site now attracts about 10,000 visitors a year and has seen improvements carried out over the past decade to upgrade visitor facilities.A 55-acre site requires plenty of maintenance with a team of four local young people in "front of house" roles, managed by operations manager Brian Johnson and supported by volunteer was also recently designated as a significantly important designed landscape by Historic Environment Scotland.A special celebration took place on Saturday to mark the solstice and also reflect on its first 10 Khosla, who chairs The Crawick Multiverse Trust, is proud of what has been achieved but also has an eye on the future."We stand on the shoulders of the artist and skilled workers who created and now develop this unique site, which has repurposed a derelict and depleted coal mine into an important asset for Upper Nithsdale," she said."A decade on from opening, now is the time to plan for the next decades to further develop our audiences and increase biodiversity."Our aim is to be sustainable, both environmentally and financially." She said that future could be shaped by others and they were open to ideas of how to develop the the meantime, they hope visitors will flock to their solstice celebrations and other summer events."Please continue to visit and share the magnificence of the Multiverse with your friends," she certainly appears to have left its past as an industrial eyesore a long way behind.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Loch Ryan sandwich terns to get help from Norfolk wind farms
Plans have been drawn up to revive a seabird colony in southern Scotland to mitigate the impact of two wind farms hundreds of miles away. It would create a haven for sandwich terns on Loch Ryan at a spot where they have not nested for more than a project is linked to the Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon offshore wind farm extensions which could affect bird numbers off the Norfolk and Galloway Council is being recommended to approve the plans with a number of conditions. A search of shorelines came up with the Dumfries and Galloway site as the best location to seek the return of sandwich terns.A special coastal habitat would be created including an inland pool with islands to be surrounded by a "predator-proof" viewing hides would also be set up to allow walkers to view the area without disturbing Equinor want the scheme in southern Scotland to compensate for the predicted impact on breeding sandwich terns of extensions to its two Norfolk schemes. The site was selected after a detailed search for suitable places to create or restore a habitat for the area was identified as having been a historic breeding site up until about 15 years appears the site was vacated by the colony primarily as a result of coastal have raised concerns about the low likelihood of the project being a success and problems linked to additional visitors to the have also voiced fears that other species in the area could be adversely a report by council planners has recommended the scheme should be given the all said the project had "acceptable environmental credentials" and could go ahead with a number of conditions attached.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Dumfries tennis centre on course to open this year
A new indoor tennis centre in Dumfries is on course to open later this Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) project at the King George V sports complex has reached the halfway stage in its began in February on the three-court centre which will open towards the end of the is part of nationwide efforts to boost participation and will provide year-round access to tennis for players across Dumfries and Galloway. The £2.3m project is described as an important landmark in the ongoing efforts to improve access to the sport across will be the third indoor tennis centre built recently following sites in Edinburgh and Johnstone, who chairs Dumfries and Galloway Council's community wellbeing committee, said: "I am delighted to see the progress of the new tennis centre and look forward to it being completed."It will be a major community asset for us and will provide much-needed indoor facilities for tennis players in the region and beyond." 'A sport for everyone' Sportscotland chief executive Forbes Dunlop said it was exciting to see the progress which had been made."When it's opened the centre will be hugely significant for local tennis and the communities in Dumfries and Galloway," he Lawn Tennis Association said the project embodied its vision of ensuring tennis was "truly a sport for everyone".Blane Dodds, chief executive of Tennis Scotland, said: "This is a significant moment as we aim to continue making tennis accessible to everyone right across Scotland by providing year-round indoor facilities."The new indoor centre in Dumfries and Galloway is taking shape and we're all looking forward to seeing players get on the courts soon."
