Cinema plan surfaces for Dundee’s Wellgate Centre
July 12 2013
The two year plan envisages creating a new eight screen cinema within the complex, alongside alterations to entrances, to improve the visitor experience. A reconfiguration of Dundee Central Library would also be undertaken.
Occupying half a hectare of Dundee city centre the revamp has been spurred by a desire to capitalise upon rising demand from leisure operators for a venue to compete with out of town developments whilst also support existing retail provision.
Designed by Threesixty Architecture the remodeling would see the multiplex inserted on floors three and four of the existing centre following a six month demolition process and 18 months of subsequent construction.
Phillip Rodger, a partner at Orchard Street, said of the scheme: “We believe that transforming the Wellgate into a retail, leisure and entertainment hub will significantly enhance the existing retail offering and overall visitor experience, as well as providing leisure amenities that are not currently available in the city centre.
“It is a key part of our long term vision for Wellgate that the city library continues to be a core element of the centre and our proposals have been carefully drafted to achieve that.”
An exterior revamp of the dated centre, built in the late 1970s, is hoped to make the mall a more attractive proposition for shoppers
Neon lighting and glazed facades will enhance the prospect along Murraygate
The complex build will necessitate maintaining access throughout the construction phase
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11 Comments
#2 Posted by Chill on 12 Jul 2013 at 15:48 PM
Hey Wonky you are taking the Wellgate plans way too seriously with all your architecture academia talk, just embrace the mediocrity and enjoy the little bit of glitz and glowing panels which will spruce up that end of the murraygate. Hey as these things go it looks all right.
#3 Posted by Col on 13 Jul 2013 at 11:31 AM
It's great to see Dundee get a city centre cinema again.
Of course it will show mainstream Hollywood stuff, that's what draws people in. The Wellgate needs to target mass market.
The DCA caters for more foreign and art house films and I go there when I want to see things like that.
The Wellgate is in a horrible decline and this is it's one chance at redmption in my opinion.
Of course it will show mainstream Hollywood stuff, that's what draws people in. The Wellgate needs to target mass market.
The DCA caters for more foreign and art house films and I go there when I want to see things like that.
The Wellgate is in a horrible decline and this is it's one chance at redmption in my opinion.
#4 Posted by film buff on 15 Jul 2013 at 12:51 PM
as regards 'Hollywood bland' it is encouraging to note that there are more 100M+ films bein made in the UK than there are in Hollywood. Hoorah! The Unions have destroyed Hollywood.
#5 Posted by Willy Wonka on 15 Jul 2013 at 15:34 PM
I think Wonky likes the sound of his own voice.
Seemingly a good, sensible and pragmatic solution to the current run-down state of the Wellgate. A return to a street scape would be great; but, given the reality of private ownership, I think this is as good a scheme as could be hoped for. A multiplex cinema in the centre of town is a huge plus, and the frontage, though uninspired, is an improvement on the current grim entrance.
Seemingly a good, sensible and pragmatic solution to the current run-down state of the Wellgate. A return to a street scape would be great; but, given the reality of private ownership, I think this is as good a scheme as could be hoped for. A multiplex cinema in the centre of town is a huge plus, and the frontage, though uninspired, is an improvement on the current grim entrance.
#6 Posted by wonky on 15 Jul 2013 at 15:51 PM
A philistines rather benighted conception of 'progress'- to paraphrase Borges: its progress that we no longer believe in progress.
Londons laissez faire deregulation of the City in order to restructure itself as a haven for speculative internatiional capital has made the UK into the worlds largest bank- London would have went if it wasn't for the good old taxpayer...lets see what happens to the UK Film industry when a couple of executive led blingbusters flop at the box office and we're left with zero infrastructure after our dalliance with the Hollywoodization experiment...Film Buff you sound more like a Pacific Rim man over Jules et Jim or Lucas over Kiarostami or Popcorn escapism rather than the Dardennes or Terence Davies- each to their own I guess.
Londons laissez faire deregulation of the City in order to restructure itself as a haven for speculative internatiional capital has made the UK into the worlds largest bank- London would have went if it wasn't for the good old taxpayer...lets see what happens to the UK Film industry when a couple of executive led blingbusters flop at the box office and we're left with zero infrastructure after our dalliance with the Hollywoodization experiment...Film Buff you sound more like a Pacific Rim man over Jules et Jim or Lucas over Kiarostami or Popcorn escapism rather than the Dardennes or Terence Davies- each to their own I guess.
#7 Posted by Egbert on 17 Jul 2013 at 09:48 AM
I'm with Wonky on this one, Borges references and all.
#8 Posted by ryan on 19 Jul 2013 at 22:20 PM
glad to see dundee getting a cinema in the centre, wonka get a grip, lets be realistic about this, this is dundee not london. time for a change for the wellgate!!!
#9 Posted by wonky on 20 Jul 2013 at 19:01 PM
...and the public wants what the public gets...what a paucity of aspiration and abject lack of vision we have in this country...but then we gotta be realistic innat...oh well I suppose ryan is right: change is better than nuffink.
#10 Posted by Egbert on 23 Jul 2013 at 09:50 AM
If we're on to music quotes, I'd offer up one by Tricky: "...lost in the layers of weakness/all around the surface brainwashed with the cheapest" - seems quite apt here.
#11 Posted by Gillian on 15 Jan 2014 at 23:38 PM
I am looking forward to seeing the new revamped wellgate it will be handy to have a cinema in the city centre, I go to Douglas field but it will be even better having one near work
I hope they will be new jobs for people when it opens yes I am feeling excited now
one Question will they be keeping the clock on the top floor as kids love to see it
I hope they will be new jobs for people when it opens yes I am feeling excited now
one Question will they be keeping the clock on the top floor as kids love to see it
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Its good to see a Cinema in the centre of Dundee but what will the 'multiplex' show- the same popcorn garbage you get everywhere else- another glut of narrow ranged Hollywood products for cultural consumption?
Every town needs a cinema like it needs a church or a museum or even a shopping centre- but there needs to be a variety and an aspiration to quality.
Can our culture of mass consumption rise above the quotidian?