The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Ballroom played by Bowie is given a modern love revival
VENUE: Kinema reinvented as a restaurant, saving the beloved former dance hall
A legendary Fife music hall played by David Bowie, Elton John and The Supremes has been given a new lease of life as a restaurant.
The Kinema in Dunfermline was transformed from a cinema to a ballroom in 1938 and earned a reputation as one of Scotland’s most important live music venues.
Famously, its former managers Cecil R Hunter turned down a booking for an up-and-coming Liverpudlian band called The Beatles.
After years of decline and having lain empty for almost a decade, the Carnegie Drive building has undergone massive refurbishment and opened its doors to food lovers yesterday.
When it closed as Velocity nightclub in 2009, there were concerns the old ballroom, which holds fond memories for many as they place where they romanced their future spouses, would be left to become dilapidated.
Its new owners say they have saved a piece of Scotland’s live music heritage.
Owner-operator Yanli Zhao said: “The Kinema has a superb and rich history.
“Over the decades, tens of thousands of dancers and music lovers would have come through its door to see the likes of The Who, The Clash and even Iron Maiden.
“All of us at the Kinema are very proud to be writing this iconic building’s next chapter, and hoping to be welcoming thousands more to our modern and stylish restaurant.”
Yanli, of Kirkcaldy, and her team will serve buffet-style dishes from around the globe, including Chinese, Thai, Italian and Mexican, and chefs will work at live cooking stations at the teppanyaki grill.
The overhaul was led by Ryan Barrie, who was behind the Citation and the acclaimed Spiritualist restaurant in Glasgow’s Merchant City.
He said: “The Kinema is filled with stories and heritage, and I was delighted to be involved in this exciting and unique project.
“The new restaurant really does have the X factor, with the chefs as the headline acts and its exceptional interior as the luscious stage for their creations.”