26/6/2009The future of Cumnock landmarks like the Picture House
East Ayrshire Council recently applied to the Government's Town Centre Regeneration Fund for £750k to demolish the former Cumnock Picture House and provide environmental and access improvements for the Town Hall.
Christine Leith wrote a letter to the Chronicle in reply to the news saying only in Cumnock can demolition be reconstituted as regeneration. "Many other local authorities would be mortified at the thought of knocking down such an iconic building."
Eddie Rutherford shared his opinion about this here on s1cumnock a while back:
The old Cumnock Picture House could be a possible site for Create (Cumnock & Doon Valley Area) to develop into the theatre, cinema and arts centre. This is a facility desperately needed in the area and would be an asset to this district. The theatre, cinema and arts centre would be used by all sections of the community. As well as creating employment it would also attract people to visit and go hand in hand with the regeneration of the town adding to the infrastructure and possibly encourage people to relocate in the area.
Geoff Crolley commented in a news story about the state of another local landmark:
I see that the rear of the Dumfries Arms Hotel has been boarded up after being vandalised. This still is one of the best buildings in Cumnock and it will be a great shame to let it fall into the carbuncle category.
Cumnock Living Memory Group tells us "Dumfries Arms - Dating from 25th March 1717 and originally known as the New Inn or Heid Inn the Dumfries Arms was an important coaching Inn. Residents have included Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns".
It is one of the few places in Cumnock which is on the 18th century Armstrong Map and should not be ignored especially during the year of the Homecoming, when we have come to realise that we need tourists and places for them to stay.
What is your opinion about these comments - and what about the future of the Picture House?
- Either spend the money doing it up or get rid of it. It's an embarrassing eyesore and has been for years.
- I agree, only East Ayrshire council could consider pulling down an iconic building such as the cinema in Cumnock to provide a car park. There is no reason why the facade can't be renovated and preserved even if the building were renovated for some other purpose. You would think that the lessons would have been learnt when they destroyed the town centre to build that carbuncle of a shopping centre which could easily have been built behind the facade of the other old buildings that were destroyed. Many other towns that I have visited preserve their character by building in sympathy with the local architecture and not creating the mish mash that Cumnock has become in the name of regeneration. If the Dumfries Arms is allowed to go then they should bring back hanging.
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Is it just me who thinks that old stone buildings convey the history of our towns and villages? Our churches, castles, country houses, hotels, manses, farm houses, picture houses are attractive when tidied up and I'd rather that money was spent to make them presentable than demolished. I agree that when there is no option, they should be demolished but how many braw buildings have we lost in the last 40 years? Do we want to live in "clone towns" which all look the same and have no sense of place or belonging? As far as I know the picture house is 99 years old and the idea of CREATE taking it over seems like the perfect solution.
Spend the money on smartening up the picture house and the upper flights of some of the other buildings down in the square.
- Take a look at the Undiscovered Scotland webpage @: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/cumnock/cumnock/index.html
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I'm actually all for doing it up. Pulling it down for a car park makes no sense to me, especially when there is plenty of ground around the town that could be turned into much needed parking. If someone sat down and thought about it, additional parking could be added at the Shopping Centre car park by simply removing the garden feature hill thing in the middle of it and by sticking the taxi rank somewhere else.
The pictures on that site Geoff mentions show what Cumnock should look like. Sadly we all know that parts of the town are embarrassing to look at. The Picture House and the Shopping Centre being a couple of them.
And talking of demolition, how long is that pile of rubble that used to be Patrick Finn Court going to sit there?
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With so much attention being paid to our local heritage I thought that we would have more of a chance to renovate and re-use some of these buildings.
Dumfries House was completed 250 years ago this year, the year of the Homecoming.
Cumnock was made a Burgh of Barony by King James IV on 27th September 1509. 500 years ago this year, the year of the Homecoming.
Any excuse for a party.
Cheers, Geoff
- I recently spoke with a councillor and she told me that no matter what the public say the picture house is to be demolished. She also told me that she had been round the centre of Cumnock with the architects inspecting which buildings are red sandstone and which are honey coloured so if this is the council's priority it looks like it will be a long time before the precinct gets a facelift. The same told me that if she had her way the Town Hall would be demolished.
- What's wrong with the Town Hall? Is the woman off her head? As for the Shopping Centre facelift, my son will be left school by the time that happens. He starts school after the holidays.
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Have a read at the History of Cumnock Picture House @
http://www.e-ayrshire.co.uk/local/clmg/vpage.asp?s=3&p=33#top
Miss out the first paragraph by East Ayrshire Council where it says "...was opened in 1913 when 1800 people could be accommodated at a film show." and go straight to "CUMNOCK PICTURE HOUSE By John MILLIN".
"...opened c1910....." It's 100 years old.
What about "Crichton House" across from Mica Hardware, Townhead Street, it's all boarded up? What's the connection with the Crichton family, if any? And is it due for demolition as well, after all the talk about the Crichton connections with Cumnock over the last year?
Too many questions?
- The council are so involved with Dumfries House and making the buildings in the main streets look good that they do not care about what the public want or whether the local shopkeepers are managing to keep their heads above water. It's time that the council got there fingers out and really took an interest in the town instead of discussing which buildings are red sandstone and which are honey coloured.
- Geoff, Moira, Tommy....you all ought to be the Town Council...elections soon?
- Noo whar exactly is the ""Tupp Inn""? Dinnae ken well ner di a, bit a ken a man thit dis. Picture Hoose I have heard this being described as a Cinema , not in my lifetime his it ever bin a Cinema. a flea bitten picture hoose, yi needed seven pennies (money ti git in four aul pennies, a curries cola ice lolly an oh a penny caramel rotten teeth never oan yir life they aw broke aff) ti hiv a guid nicht watchin John Wayne , then yi got aulder. bit yi still nipped doon ti the Sunn Inn wi the empty beer bottles (thank god fur wee Ticky an ma aunty Bessie) get the wee wummin ar aul burd it McCubbins corner n walk up Glaisnock St. The bees knees that wis tae sum o yir pals seen yi, pay two for the stalls yi wurnae winchin it this bit the balcony came later, then the weans, och weel them were the days. Cumnock in my lifetime has went frae Coal being King ti nae mair thin an Inner City Slum. yes folks it is oor SLUM an ICON of the failed CUMNOCK LABOUR PARTY! Lord George Foulkes legacy ti the guid folk in Cumnock (A Wunner whit ever happened ti this man O Many Faces. Guid Riddance A Say.
- Scottish Heritage has final say on the fate of "Oor Picture Hoose" after Eac voted to demolish it and "build a carpark". Don't wait until after it's gone to have your say!