Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon paid a visit to rain lashed Dumfries town centre on Monday.
And she made a dram good impression at one store – TB Watson – by spending more than £80 on whisky and gin.
Ms Sturgeon also spoke with Midsteeple Quarter officials about their project to regenerate the High Street.
And, if re-elected on Thursday she vowed to “deliver the policies that ensures this part of the country can fulfil its vast potential”.
She said: “I know there is a lot of frustration in Dumfries, and in the south of Scotland more generally, that often they feel they are not given the priority,
“But I want people to know they do have priority and we have to continue to make sure we are investing in the transport infrastructure and investing in the digital broadband structure so that all the massive assets that Dumfries and the whole area have can be properly realised.”
Ms Sturgeon spoke with Midsteeple chairman Peter Kormyko and vice chairwoman Evie Copland about their project.
She added: “I came to visit the Midsteeple a couple of years ago and was so impressed then by the vision of that project and I have just been seeing today the next stages of that.
“That is exactly what we need to regenerate not just Dumfries town centre but for town centres the length and breadth of the country.
“The pandemic has accelerated the challenges (for high street and town centres) but it started before with people changing the way they shop and spend their leisure time.
“So we need people with vision and ideas on how to re-imagine town centres and how to get people back into town centres and Midsteeple is a shining example of that.”
Ms Sturgeon rounded off her mini tour of the town by visiting T B Watson, the special wine and whisky merchant in English Street, and bought Tamdhu whisky at £48 and a bottle of Hills and Harbour Gin at £43.
She took advice from owner Brian Gibson and purchased the Tamdhu adding it was for her husband, Peter Murrell.
