Piece of Dundee’s history erased as Rialto cinema is demolished

Dundee’s historic Rialto cinema finally bit the dust at the weekend.

The site at Gray’s Lane, Lochee, has been lying unoccupied for several years but it has a special place in the city’s history as it was the first cinema in Dundee to show “talkies” when it opened in 1928.

A team started work at 6am on Saturday to bring the former Lochee landmark crashing to the ground.

The road and side lane were closed to allow the steel-frame building to be completely demolished.VIDEO: A last look around the RialtoRamsay McBain, the director of Ramsay Properties Ltd which now owns the site, said the 12 flats that will replace the derelict structure will help the surrounding area.

He said: “It’s been an eyesore ever since a fire a few years ago.

“It’s a prominent landmark but the building that will go up in its place will look much better.”

Planning permission is yet to be granted for the 12 new flats but Mr McBain is confident that consent will be given to allow construction to begin in the new year.