May 1988

Dundee Drawing the Crowds

The people of Dundee not only want tourists to discover the city but want to be more aware of its heritage themselves – if attendances at local museums and art galleries are anything to go on.

Not only is the number of people visiting the Discovery well up, but attendance at other museums and galleries around Dundee has jumped as well.In the first four months of last year, Dundee museum services attractions – The Mc Manus Galleries, Broughty Castle Museum, Barrack Street Museum and Mills Observatory drew 47,700 visitors.

For the same period last year that figure has been better by 17.5%.

Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Curator Mr Adam Ritchie expects the trend to continue. “Last year we had 195,000 people visit and I would hope the figure will rise to quarter of a million for the current year” he said.

“I am fairly confident of reaching this target, especially with the events of Dundee Summer Festival that will be going on in the summer.

Mr Ritchie thought the “Dundee Welcomes Japan” season, in particular would attract a lot of interest. This is a series of exhibitions, activities and associated events concerning modern day Japan and its culture which will run form September 3 to October 15.

One of the surprises is the increase attendance at Mills Observatory. During the Halley’s Comet excitement, there was a large boost in attendance figures which was expected to be a peak for the observatory but this has not been the case. City Astronomer Dr Fiona Vincent said “The figures are up on last year and even though people were disappointed with the comet it is very gratifying to see that they were interested enough to come back”.

She said that with the prospect of a series of planetarium shows in the summer figures were likely to continue to rise.

The free show will be held at the Balgay Hill observatory every afternoon in the first week of July.

At the last show on the Saturday afternoon Dundee Amateur Radio Club will be setting up a radio station that will hopefully make contact all around the world.

Children’s Group Need Volunteers

Friends in Need, the Dundee-based children’s aid group have stopped accepting referrals because of lack of volunteers, and have weathered a stormy financial year thanks to successful fund-raising, their annual meeting in Wellgate Library heard last night.

Co-ordinator Lili Van der Schraft, commenting on the number of referrals being received from the social work department, said “We have found we have had to close our referral list since January this year because of lack of volunteers.

“At the moment we have 66 referrals and 45 volunteers; 39 children have been matched but 27 are unattached.

Created in 1981, the organisation uses a system of adult volunteers to befriend young people who need companionship and support on a one-to-one basis.

Many of the children are referred to them by the region’s social work department, and volunteers are members of the local community concerned about children’s welfare.

Last year started off with the complete withdrawal of the contribution to Friends in Need’s budget by the Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund.

The £20,000 required to run the scheme had to be wholly found from donations and the fund-raising was very successful.

One trust has guaranteed them £5000 per annum for the next three years and Tayside Regional Council have awarded them a grant of £8000 over the same period.

No Major Problems in Emergency Closure

Emergency closure yesterday afternoon of one lane of Victoria Road because of an unsafe building, caused no problems during last night’s teatime rush hour.

Perhaps because some motorists had heeded the police pleas to avoid the area if possible, closure of the left lane of the one-way street did not lead to any appreciable delay.

Early coning, filtering of vehicles in to the other lane well in advance of Eadie’s Road junction, kept traffic moving. Tayside Region Roads Department announced earlier yesterday Victoria Road would be reduced to single lane width to allow scaffolding to be erected at the building with a protective walkway for pedestrians.

Masonry ties will be put on the building to secure it and the face will be made safe. The building has been declared unsafe by Dundee District Council’s chief engineer, and it is the regional council’s responsibility to close part of the road.

Eadie’s Road is closed from Victoria Road to the junction with a new link road to Rosebank Road.

“Only the south lane is now open and this is liable to lead to a fair bit of congestion at peak times” said a police spokesman.

“The part of the road closed is only a 50-yard stretch but it will result in a bottleneck. We will be monitoring the situation carefully”.

A spokesman for Dundee District Council explained the problem concerned the gable end of a building.

“The problem was identified by a steeplejack inspecting the building on behalf of the owners who informed the district engineer. He has placed a dangerous notice on the property until repairs can be made”.

A couple of months ago Victoria Road was closed at Hilltown junction while a dangerous tenement was demolished. Expected serious effects on traffic did not materialise at that time.

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Golden Dream Fades for Tommy Coyne

By Steve Bruce
Tommy Coyne’s hopes of landing the prestigious Adidas Golden Boot award were almost certainly ended this weekend.

While Coyne failed to find the target on Saturday, as Dundee played out a dreadful goalless draw with Hibs, rival Tanju Colak of Galatasaray netted a hat-trick for the Turkish First Divison leaders.

Colak (24), capped six times by Turkey, now has 35 league goals to his credit – tow more than Coyne.

The Turk also has four matches left in which to increase his total whereas the Dark Blues’ hit man only has one.

Colak had been credited by the award sponsors with having scored 34 goals, prior to Saturday, but Turkish journalist Ihsan Topaloglo who was at Dens to compile a profile of Coyne in connection with the Golden Boot, revealed his actual tally was two less.

Topaloglo could not have been over impressed with the Dundee striker’s performance or that of most of the other 23 players on show.

Only the home sides’ Alan Lawrence and Ian Angus and Hibs’ John Collins emerged much credit from a real end of season affair.

Dundee manager Jocky Scott was far from pleased that his side’s last home match of the campaign, watched by a crowd of 4609, should be such a let-down.

Scott took a chance in fielding virus victim Jim Smith against Hibs, but big Smith had to be substituted at half-time and the Dens Parkers’ defence re-shuffled.

That the capital outfit failed to take advantage of this was indicative of their major problem all season long – lack of a goalscorers.

Boss Alex Miller admits the missing link in his side of a good striker and that hi is searching for a suitable candidate.

There were three bookings, Tommy McIntyre for obstruction on Keith Wright, Jim Smith for chopping down Collins and Wee Saunder for dissent.

It was the 16th yellow card collected by Saunders this season, his fifth in 13 games since joining Dundee.

“Time to Go” says Dodds

Former Dundee United striker Davie Dodds is set to leave Aberdeen, whom he joined from Swiss side Neuchatel Xama in September 1976 for £215,000 (reports Steve Bruce).

Dodds, 29, axed by the Dons following their Scottish Cup semi-final defeat as the hands of United, asked for a transfer and his request seems likely to meet with a favourable response from the Pittodrie board.

“I like Aberdeen but their style of play doesn’t suit me and it is time to go” commented the player yesterday.

“The only reason I was in the team was because I was coring goals. When I stopped doing that I was out which I understand – but you can’t score if you don’t get the right service”.

Household Hints

When chopping mint for mint sauce, try adding a little granulated sugar. This makes the herb shred much more easily. Add lemon juice sometimes instead of vinegar.

Trying to lose weight? – Drink unsweetened tea, coffee or water half an hour before each meal and you’ll feel less hungry. Start every meal with fresh fruit or unsweetened stewed prunes or apricots to reduce appetite.

Before painting a metal windows rub them down with a wire brush. Treat any rust spots with a rust cure of the rust will spread and force off the paint.

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New Drama on Discovery

Dundee’s famous ship the R.R.S. Discovery yesterday experienced a drama of a rather different kind from when it set out for its famous Antarctic voyages with Captain Scott.

On board the ship in Victoria Dock were member of Dundee Heritage Trust’s theatre team, who began rehearsals for the 1988 project.

This year’s programme has been devised by the Scottish Youth Theatre, working closely with the trust seconded education officer Susie Justice.

The programme will have special relevance to the trusts educational work as from June 9-24 the first half of the season’s project will go out to schools in Tayside and involve classes in the story of Discovery’s construction in the city.

Later in the summer, the young actors will perform on board the ship itself, adding new dimensions to visiting the historical vessel and introducing youngsters to a piece of their own heritage.