ALMOST seven years after the projector was switched off, film fans in Dumfries could soon be taking their seats to watch the latest offerings in the entertainment world.
For an avid film fan, who lives near Elgin, wants to restore the Shakespeare Street venue, formerly known as Odeon, which closed in June 2018, to its former glory.
Whisky distiller Tristan Campbell is the managing director at ‘Regal Cinema Dumfries’.
The 46-year-old is working with the current owners of the building to agree a lease of the cinema complex only, not the bingo hall.
And if all goes to plan movie-goers could be setting their eyes on the latest blockbuster releases this summer.
Tristan said: “We have agreed to terms with the current building owners. There are many spanners that could be put in the works, but we are set on it opening in the summer.
“It was a single screen cinema and it will re-open as a single screen. We do have plans to upgrade, but the priority is to get it open as soon as possible.
“Once we have got the ball rolling we will start with other investments.”
Tristan says he will be make frequent trips down to South West Scotland, but has no immediate plans to relocate from his home in the north east. So, just why has he chosen Dumfries?
He added: “I have been interested in opening a cinema for quite some time. I really like the traditional experience of an art deco cinema.
“I have always been looking for opportunities. I was kicking myself for not noticing Dumfries closed in 2018, I only picked up on this project last year.
“I think it’s a bit of a shame that Dumfries doesn’t have a cinema for the size of it.
“The opportunity is there and the cinema is already there, so why not?”
A handful of staff will be required to operate the outlet, with a recently posted cinema manager position attracting lots of attention.
Tristan said: “We are going to need a crew of full time and part time staff to run it.
“We would really like the manager in place first of all. Initially it will be six or seven jobs. There’s scope for that to expand a little bit, but we will not know until we open the doors.”
Running an independent outlet is no easy feat, but Tristan is determined to make it work.
He described responses to a survey and the recent manager’s job posting as ‘phenomenal’.
He said: “It’s a difficult thing whether it’s independent or not. The margins are quite thin, but I’m confident given the response we’ve had.
“It’s going to be difficult, but it absolutely can work.”
After opening in the 1930s, the cinema was first built for ABC. The facility was modernised in 1972 when the building was divided into two, with a bingo hall downstairs.
Elsewhere in the town, the Robert Burns Centre does show films, but it is a much smaller venue and they are not the latest releases.
