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Bid to demolish former Regal Cinema in Broughty Ferry refused

By Amie Flett

October 21 2022, 8:04am

Scaffolding has been erected around the former Regal Cinema in Broughty Ferry which was used as a Honda garage.

A Broughty Ferry car dealership’s bid to demolish the former Regal Cinema over safety concerns has been rejected.

Owners of West End Honda Garage, which operated within the former cinema, lodged plans last month to have the C-listed building razed after it was deemed “dangerous”.

It followed an assessment which showed the building’s structure had become a “significant cause for concern”.

‘Dangerous building’ signage around the former Regal Cinema on Queen Street in Broughty Ferry.

Due to safety concerns, owner of the Honda Garage, James Ewart, was forced to remove all business operations from the building last month.

Fencing was then erected around the premises along with £33,000 worth of scaffolding inside to support its structure.

Since then, more scaffolding has been erected around the outside of the building.

James was hoping to secure permission to demolish the protected building after three structural engineers surveyed the building and all found the building to be at “real risk ” of collapse.

Demolition bid for Regal Cinema rejected

But Dundee City Council has responded to say the building must not be demolished.

A spokesperson said: “We have written to the applicant’s agent to advise that while urgent works are required to secure public safety and must be carried out immediately, those works should not involve the demolition of the building.”

The listed building was built as a volunteer drill hall around 1870 and was transformed by the Arbroath Cinema Company as The Regal in 1936.

Between the late 1970s and early 1990s the property was used as a bingo hall and was later taken over by the West End Honda Garage as a showroom during the mid 90s

Inside the former Regal Cinema building being held up by scaffolding.

Historic Environment Scotland said it is aware of public safety concerns.

A spokesperson said: “Public safety is of paramount concern and in this context is primarily the responsibility of the local authority.

“However, we think there are options to consider that would address public safety risks without demolishing the building.

“We objected to an application to demolish the building because we think further consideration should be given to options that would retain the listed building.

“We have met with the council and offered to visit the building and discuss this further with them and the applicant’s engineer.”

Garage owner, James, declined to comment while discussions are ongoing.