Countdown to reopening of much-loved cinema after eight years

The man behind plans to reopen a south of Scotland cinema is hopeful it can start screening in a matter of weeks as soon as the property is handed over to him.

Tristan Campbell revealed his proposals to revive the former Odeon site in Dumfries - which shut in 2018 - more than a year ago.

However, preparatory work being carried out by landlord Buzz Bingo has taken longer than originally estimated.

Campbell said he was still hopeful of a handover early next month with potential to open - under the name The Regal - in a matter of weeks after that.

The closure of the Odeon left the town - with a population of about 35,000 - without a large-scale cinema for the first time in living memory.

At present, it only has the 69-seat council film theatre at the Robert Burns Centre with a small multi-screen about 15 miles (24km) away in Annan or the larger sites across the border in Carlisle.

Campbell, who lives near Elgin, is a film fanatic with a background in the whisky industry.

He had originally thought he could reopen the doors on the Shakespeare Street by Christmas 2024 but things have taken much longer than he anticipated.

"We are just waiting for the completion of the enabling works to allow us to gain entry to the building," he said.

Once they get the keys from landlord Buzz Bingo, he remains optimistic of a swift opening.

"We are hopeful of a handover in a few weeks - 1 May is my current target," he said.

"If that happens, we could be looking at an opening roughly four weeks later.

"The only hurdle to get over after getting the keys is getting our licence from the council, which takes four weeks to go through the system."

He said they could not apply for that until he got the keys to the site along with safety certifications.

"Everything else is ready to go," he said. That includes sales system, a website and projection and sound equipment which have been in storage since September.

He admitted to some frustration and surprise at just how long the work has taken but it had clearly been more complicated than anticipated.

"There have been many more hurdles to get past than you would ever imagine," he said.

"When the Odeon closed in 2018, the reason for closure was given as 'ongoing issues with the building'.

"These issues have certainly made themselves known to the landlord as they progressed work to enable the reopening."

He said Buzz Bingo had been "fantastic support" but some of the work had required very specialised skills which were in high demand on heritage restoration projects.

"Whilst the delays are frustrating for everyone, the safety of our staff and customers is of paramount importance to us and our landlord," he said.

"So it is definitely worth taking time to make sure that these works have been completed to the highest standard, making sure that the cinema can remain safe and operational for many years to come."

He said reopening an old cinema was an "incredibly difficult task" and he was "learning on the job".

"I can assure you all that I have a great passion for cinema and for providing great customer-focused experiences," he said.

"I certainly hope that as we grow and improve the business over the coming months and years, nobody will be too disappointed in what we are doing."

He thanked the Dumfries public for its messages of support.

"There is a great enthusiasm and nostalgia amongst the local community who want their old friend back, which fuels my efforts to bring the Regal back to life," he said.

A drop-in session for them to find out more is being held in the local Morrisons supermarket cafe at 18:00 on Monday 27 April.

Buzz Bingo confirmed it had been working with potential new tenants and had been preparing the site for use.