Town hall closure confusion

CONFUSION erupted in Annan this week over whether or not the town hall will be closed as part of council cost-saving measures.
When the council’s 2026/27 budget was passed in February, it included plans reduce the number of council offices in order to ‘create a property portfolio that is more efficient, affordable and sustainable for the council to manage and maintain’.

Annan Town Hall was listed one of three locations under consideration along with Irish Street in Dumfries and Daar Street in Kirkcudbright, with plans to reduce facilities at each location over a three year period, saving the council a cumulative £480,000 across the three sites.

At their meeting this week, Annan Community Council queried the closure and if it applies to only the offices within the town hall or if it includes the library and customer services.

Tempers flared during the discussions on Monday night, with some members referring to the plans as ‘sneaky’ and ‘mind boggling’. Alan Kay was the one to break the news, calling for more transparency surrounding such major decisions. He said: “When I found this out I couldn’t believe it and I thought ‘that can’t be right’.

“The council should advise the communities about things that affect their area and get a proper response back, because I’m sure that if everybody in Annan knew that this was happening at the time there would’ve been an uproar and a petition against it.”
Even Annandale South Cllr George Jamieson, who was in attendance, was unsure about the details surrounding the town hall’s future, but promised to look into the matter further.
Offering a partial explanation, he said: “One of the main users of the town hall has pulled out in preference of somewhere else, so if there’s nobody using the town hall then it’s very difficult to justify keeping it open.
“And I’m not saying that that’s the case, but it’s possibly part of the case. It needs to be utilised, it cannot sit there as an empty shell.”
Outrage then turned to fear that if the prominent town hall was to close it would turn into another disused building and be ‘left to fall apart’.

Community councillor Jim Thorburn said: “This is where it starts, you shut one more thing, then there’s one less thing in the town. We all care what happens to it and I think it’s madness.”
Fellow member Graeme Wellburn added: “It’s an iconic building, and I know you can’t keep every iconic building going, but if you take away the town hall there won’t be much else left in Annan.
“This isn’t a council workshop or garden centre they’re planning on shutting, this is Annan Town Hall. It’s been the focal point of the town since it was built, it isn’t another disused building, we need it!”

Responding, a council spokesperson told the Annandale Observer: “At its meeting on 26 February 2026, Dumfries and Galloway Council agreed a programme of measures as part of the budget setting process, including reducing the number of council buildings.
“Officers from the council’s Property, Estates and Programmes team are working with services across the council to review office accommodation needs across the region. This work is at an early stage and no decisions have been made at this time.
“We recognise the importance of facilities such as Annan Town Hall to local communities and will keep stakeholders informed as this work progresses.”