The long struggle of Dumfries to get its cinema back

When the Odeon in Dumfries closed its doors in 2018 it left a big hole in the entertainment offering.

It means the closest large-scale cinema to the town is actually in another country – over the border in Carlisle, more than 30 miles away.

A council-commissioned feasibility study has identified potential for a £10m multi-screen facility.

It is now being asked to commit a further £75,000 to develop the project aimed at boosting the town centre.

Martin O’Neill, creative director with The Stove Network arts and community group in the town, said the suggested five-screen, 433-seat facility could give a major lift.

“I think something like that for Dumfries extends the cultural offer beyond what we currently already have, which is fantastic, but perhaps not as mainstream as people would like,” he said.

“To see anything major you would have to go to Carlisle or further afield to actually see the next Star Wars or what have you.

“I think, beyond that, something like this could support businesses and other enterprises and contribute – potentially fairly significantly – to the regeneration of Dumfries.

“It has the potential to really bring Dumfries into some new territory, into some new realm.”

He said the loss of the old Odeon had been something which was on the cards for some time.

“I think the cinema quietly passed away, I don’t think it was a blow as such, I think it sort of faded out of people’s way of life,” he said.

He said that was an issue facing cinemas across the country.

“But I think what this type of cinema can do is bring back those experiences and memories,” he added.

“If you are a Doonhamer of the last 10 years or more you will have a memory of being in that cinema – you learned Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s dad in that cinema.

“Everyone has that kind of experience at the cinema and to not have that currently feels like we are depriving ourselves a little bit.”

At present, the town has the 69-seat council film theatre at the Robert Burns Centre with a small multi-screen about 15 miles away in Annan or the larger sites in Carlisle.

There is also a “pop-up” cinema being offered by the Big Burns Supper.

Its chief executive, Graham Main, said there was no doubt there was an appetite for the big screen in the town.

“Interest in screenings at our pop-up cinema at the Loreburn Hall has been much higher than we anticipated, particularly around mainstream cinema releases,” he said.

“Doonhamers like to get out and watch movies, there is no question about that.

“We have been pretty vocal about safeguarding culture in Dumfries in our 12-year history so we fully endorse this idea, in principle.”

He said it would be great to see a community group take the plan forward but pointed out that smaller operators often had to wait longer to get major titles.

“In practical terms, this means that Dumfries screenings would lag behind four to five weeks if a national operator didn’t step forth and this doesn’t feel good enough for our local community,” he said.

Mr Main said whatever happened he hoped there would be some kind of interim solution offered until the ambitious multi-screen plan was delivered.

Otherwise, Dumfries will still have to wait a few more years before it gets to see the latest blockbusters on the big screen as soon as they are released.