Plans to open a cinema in Dundee’s Wellgate shopping centre might still only be at the discussion stage, but letting agents are using an image of the cinema to advertise the mall, and a London firm has already invested £100,000 on plans.
Light Cinemas has originally hope to open a 900-seat cinema in the mall by the end of 2017 but admitted earlier this year it will be 2019 “at the earliest” before the cinema could open.
The London-based company has already invested more than £100,000 in plans for the cinema.
The Wellgate Centre has now appointed new letting agents, FG Burnett, in a bid to find tenants for its unoccupied units.
FG Burnett is advertising the Wellgate on its website with a image showing the cinema in place at the front of the building.
But the centre’s marketing manager Marion Crorar said the image is solely being used for illustrative purposes.
She said: “It’s just a new brochure to reflect the change in letting agents.
“Negotiations are continuing with interested parties.”
Although no plans have yet been formalised for the cinema, the images give the clearest indication yet of how a potential development may look.
As well as the cinema itself, they also indicate space for a cafe on the second floor overlooking the high street.
Plans to open a cinema in the Wellgate were disrupted by the collapse of BHS last year.
It was one of the biggest stores in the shopping centre and occupied space over two floors.
The unit – one of the largest in the Wellgate – remains empty and is currently being marketed by FG Burnett.
Although work to create a cinema has still not started four years after plans were first put forward, work to redevelop the shopping centre is continued.
Plans to create a gym on the top floor of the centre, in the unit once occupied by TJ Hughes, were approved by Dundee City Council last month.
Up to 40 jobs could be created if and when the gym opens.
Firm submits plan for new gym in Wellgate Centre where cinema was to be built