Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Memories of Lochee in days gone by
LOCHEE High Street remains a vibrant hub, full of shops and people going about their daily business.
Such is the pride in Lochee, many have long considered the area to be its own little town within the city.
In fact, until the 19th Century, it was a separate town – but was eventually surrounded by the expanding Dundee.
Originally part of the Barony of Balgay, Lochee is thought to have included a small stretch of water called Balgay Loch.
An Evening Telegraph article from 1979 tells how the name Lochee is “supposed to have derived from ‘Loch E’e’ – the eye or opening of the loch”.
The loch was drained many years ago but it is commonly assumed the first of the houses were erected at the source of a small stream.
Perhaps one of the biggest changes over the years was the introduction of the one-way system in September 2014.
The move caused a lot of discussion, with several local traders and community groups blaming the system for a downturn in business.
Over the years, shops and buildings disappeared to make way for new ones.
One building that no longer exists is the Lochee East Free Church, complete with its distinctive tower and clock.
It was demolished to make way for Woolworths and the site is now home to Poundstretcher.
Myles McCallum, who runs the Lochee Past and Present Facebook page, spoke about his fond memories of one store in particular, the Cherry Video arcade.
“There were lots of wee video games, a couple of fruit machines and a couple of pool tables. That was the place to go and hang around,” he said.
Myles said he liked the arcade so much he would often try to nip up there on his school lunch break.
“You would always see someone up there. It was a place for us young Lochee lads to congregate back in the day,” he added.
“As soon as we got out of swimming we would also go to Frankie Davies (Davies Ice Cream Parlour) for chips and ice cream.”
Myles also spoke about the former Highgate Centre, which was demolished several years ago.
He said: “There was a flower stall and a pet food stall. I remember Crawfords bakery there too.
“It was before you went into the Fine Fare supermarket. All the old ladies would congregate for a cigarette and a blether on the benches.”
One shop that has stood the test of time and is still a staple on most high streets around the country is Boots pharmacy.
In 1969 the tram depot on the High Street was demolished to make way for a two-storey post ofice – a move first suggested by the Ministry of Works in 1964.
A town council vote that same year resulted in 20 votes to 14 in favour of the premises being sold to the Crown, with the Dundee Transport Committee also voting for the sale by eight votes to five.
The new post office was officially opened in September 1970 by exBailie Willie Millar who had represented the local area as a councillor for 25 years.
He said the old post office, based on Marshall Street, was too small to cope with the busy local area.
The Marshall Street branch closed just a few days after the official opening of the new office.
One key Lochee High Street talking point over the years has been the Lochee clock.
The clock first appeared on the street in the summer of 1986, next to the health centre, which opened in July that same year.
The clock stood in the street for more than 30 years before it was removed about a decade ago due to renovation works.
After a campaign by locals and some funding from the community regeneration fund, a new modernised clock was installed in the High Street last year.