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There is a call to reactivate a disused shop as a cinema in Dumfries.
Nith District Councillor Malcolm Johnstone is urging local government to look for the centre of the night economy in the city centre with a place for entertainment.
The old Original Factory Shop, closed since August 2018, is the best site.
It would fill a void left by the closure of the Odeon cinema, which closed in June of the same year. Currently, the dumfries cinema is the Robert Burns Center, which has 69 seats.
Johnstone said, “We want a downtown entertainment venue that can advertise the nighttime economy.
“It doesn’t have to be a cinema, but we want something, it’s just the general idea. This construction would be ideal for a cinema in my opinion, but there are several others that would work in the city center. I think 3 screens would be feasible for a construction of this size.
“This building has been empty for some time and for a city the length of Dumfries, having a multiscreen cinema is enough. “
Earlier this month, the council held an assembly to discuss a proposed covered market to stimulate the Main Street economy.
The “multifaceted exit” would be similar to the successful projects in Galashiels and Altrincham, but councillors had questions and plans were sent back for officials to review.
Johnstone believes there is more desire to attract other people to Dumfries, who submitted an offer for the city’s prestige last week.
He said: “I think anything like a cinema would be more for the downtown economy.
“We want to give other people an explanation of why they come to Dumfries. A cinema would attract other people to the city. Annan has the Lonsdale proving that he doesn’t have to be great to succeed. “
“There is a lot of budget for the regeneration of the city centre and this is a street that the city council is taking.
“We want to identify the night economy in Dumfries. Si you had that, it would have a ripple effect because more people would use downtown restaurants. This would make Dumfries a destination. “