For the David Keswick Centre was yesterday revealed as the venue for the count night on December 12.
It is the first time the athletics centre in Marchmount has been used and the choice is due to regular host venue, The Easterbrook Hall, being booked up with a Christmas event. Earlier this month MPs backed a December date for the snap election, and plans swiftly got underway to arrange polling stations, staff and a large-enough count venue.
In recent years the election counts for both the Dumfriesshire Clydesdale and Tweeddale seat and neighbouring constituency of Dumfries and Galloway have taken place at the Easterbrook Hall on the Crichton Campus, running through the night after the polls closed.
But this time around the festive date caused headaches for council officials with places being booked up. And it has taken several weeks for the local authority to source an alternative which was both large and secure enough.
