August 1961
New Look Hilltown to Cost £2 Million
Four 24-storey blocks of flats are imposing features of a plan for the redevelopment of nearly 15 acres in the Hilltown area of Dundee. The scheme of 600 houses, shops, stores, community centre, lock-ups, play spaces &c., it is estimated to cost in the region of £2 million.The development will be carried out by Dundee Corporation on plans prepared by Ian Burke, Martin and Partners, Architects and Planning Consultants, Tay Street, Dundee.
It is one of several comprehensive redevelopment schemes scheduled for various central areas in the city, and will be known as the Maxwelltown Redevelopment. It is bounded by Hilltown, Ann Street, Hillbank Road and Alexander Street. Messrs Burke’s plans, which have been approved by the Scottish Department of Health, were before Dundee Housing Committee last night and accepted.
Among the properties which will eventually have to go to make way for the new scheme are:- Part of the Maxwelltown Jute Works (Jute Industries, Ltd); Wellington Jute Works (R.G. Kennedy & Co Textiles Ltd.); the New Palladium Cinema (now Rex Cinema) and Maxwelltown Baptist Church. A replacement Baptist Church will be provided within the scheme. The site of Wellington Works will be converted at a later stage in the development into an open space.
The scheme will be built in five phases, starting with the area just behind the Hilltown frontage. The final phases will be the Hilltown strip and the centre portion where there is to be a community centre and public house – one of two to serve the scheme.
The Hilltown shops will be replaced by a new shopping group including two supermarkets. With a small shopping precinct at the eastern end, the scheme will have a total of 17 shops in addition to the supermarkets.
The four multi-storeys will be devoted to houses. The ground level accommodation will be taken up with lock-ups and the first floor by storage space for tenants’ prams, laundrette services, &c. Vehicular traffic within the scheme will be confined to minor access roads from Ann Street to lock-ups and parking spaces which will accommodate up to one car for every two families.
Walkways, for pedestrians only, will serve all parts of the scheme and children’s playgrounds will take up most of the space between the multi-storey blocks. Grass plots will separate the development from a widened Alexander Street, which will be fitted into the improved road plan for the city.
Estimated population of the redevelopment area is over 2000, against the present 1871. So far there no 24-storey flats in Scotland. These will be served by lifts (two per block) designed to travel at 200 feet per minute. Under-floor electric heating is planned.
Bailie Harry Dickson, housing convener, said at last night’s meeting that the Department of Health had complimented the architects and the committee on what they described as a model scheme.
Mr Ian Burke detailed it to the committee with the aid of the model and plans. He gave an assurance that working plans for the first phase would be ready to go out to tender within six months.
Bailie Dickson said it was hoped to push on with it as soon as possible. Once a start was made there would be a continuity of building.
Pipe Band at Gaumont Reopening
The reopening of the Gaumont, Dundee, as a super cinema was given a rousing send-off last night. The auditorium rang with the sound of Dundee Police Pipe Band as Lord Provost McManus, accompanied by the theatre manager, Mr. R. Wood, walked up the centre aisle.
Mr Wood welcomed the audience saying – “Many of you have thoughts of regret to see the last of the old King’s Theatre.” But he hoped they would be pleased with the modern cinema and enjoy the facilities provided by the Rank Organisation.
The Lord Provost said – “While many of us regret the fact that we have now lost another of the places where we had stage performances, I am sure there can be nothing else but compliments given for the great new cinema which you are seeing for the first time”
After the pipe band played “Bonnie Dundee” and the Lord Provost thanked them and added “We leave the city, my wife and I with others this evening for Rome and Yugoslavia”.
The programme consisted of a coloured film “Looking Around” featuring life in London; “The Long Shadow” (a spy drama); and “Whistle Down the Wind” starring Hayley Mills in a story written by her mother.
Cheese Strata
Very good dish and easily prepared. – Mrs Buchan, Aberdeenshire.
Take 6 slices of day old bread, ½ teaspoon mustard, ¼ lb. sliced cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped onion, 2 eggs, 1¼ cupfuls of milk, ¾ teaspoonful salt and a dash of pepper.
Arrange three sliced of bread (crusts off) in bottom of a baking dish. Cover with the cheese and cover with the rest of the bread. Beat eggs, add milk, mustard and onion, salt and pepper and pour over the bread. Let stand for 1 hour. Bake in moderate over for 1 hour and serve immediately.
La Scala, Dundee
Monday, August, 14, and all week
Alan Ladd, Patricia Medina, &C.,
In a thrilling romantic drama,
“The Black Knight” (u)
Times of showing 2.20, 5.40, 9.0.
Ideal Home for Dundee
Dundee’s Ideal Home Exhibition, which Renova Exhibitions Ltd., Brighton, will stage in the Caird and Marryat Halls from September 20 to October 2, will take the place of Dundee’s Own Exhibition.
The Chamber of Commerce (retail section) are supporting the exhibition, and the Renova concern have presented the Chamber with a silver cup for annual competition for the best-dressed window. This will tie up with Dundee Autumn Shopping Week.
The Caird Hall’s exhibition features will include a prefabricated furnished bungalow, a cinema show and a kiddies play section. A variety show will be presented twice daily, and TV stars and other artists will take part.
Picnic in the Cinema
More than 300 children “raised the roof” of the Broadway Cinema at “Geordie’s picnic” provided by Mr George Grant, the Dundee commission agent and sportsman. The picnic was to have been in the Den o’ Mains, but due to the wet weather earlier, it was decided to proceed direct to the cinema.
The programme included a display of magic by Johnny Geddes; the Two-Tones; John Huband, accordionist and a two-hour film show.
A Carnival in the Boxing Stadium?
A new attraction may reach the city this winter – an indoor carnival. The Premierland Stadium, off King Street, has been proposed for the location. Mr Robert Horne, the carnival proprietor has applied for planning permission to the corporation to use the boxing stadium.
“ I am thinking of having a speedway, bingo stalls, shooting, hoop-la stalls, coconut stalls and the like, “Mr Horne said.
“The opening date would be sometime in September, for three months. Depending on how the carnival is received, I might ask for an extension”.
Old Folks Big Show
Comedian Johnny Victory’s annual free show for the old folks will be held in the Caird Hall on Tuesday, August 22.
Palace Theatre manager Mr Gordon Reid will be sponsoring and 2700 tickets will be distributed to pensioners.
They will be sent to old folk’s clubs and will also be available at the Palace and from Mr Reid’s shops at 2-4, Brownhill Road and 107, Lorne Street on Monday and Tuesday of next week.
Full House at the Royal!
The bingo craze got off to an amazing start in the city on Monday. Before the first session got underway in the Royal Cinema, Arthurstone Terrace – “Full House” notices were posted and over 100 angry club members had to be turned away.
“At one stage” said an official “it looked as if we might have to send for the police.”
When the session started, with cinema manager Mr Bob Nicolson as caller, there were 900 people playing, Most of them were middle aged, with a sprinkling of old age pensioners.
In all, 15 games were played. The first nine brought £10-a-time prize money and the 10th- the jackpot – over £40.
The Royal Bingo Club membership numbers are nearly 3000. The cinema’s capacity – 900!