Ahead of his time

“The letter below suggests that my father, W. Sinclair Gaudie was ahead of his time,” emails reader Becca Gaudie. “It was printed in the Evening Telegraph on September 19,1946. He says:

‘I read with interest your interview with Mr A.R. Whatmore, in which he gave his views on the prospect of providing Dundee with a theatre worthy of the city. If my recollection is correct, the site advocated by Mr Whatmore was set aside to form a central open space in the pre-war project for replanning the area, and this would probably be adhered to in any future scheme.

‘I should like to suggest the possibility of reclaiming part of the Earl Grey Dock for this purpose. Modern methods of construction would make it possible to support the building even on such made-up ground.

‘The surrounding space could be laid out as gardens and car park, perhaps keeping the southern part of the dock open as a yacht basin. The advantages of the site from the point of view of accessibility need no stressing, and the theatre facade and gardens would be a pleasant termination to the view down Crichton Street.

‘The civic theatre has long been regarded on the Continent as a sound proposition. The Swedish city of Malmo, with a population of 170,000, has recently built a magnificent theatre to seat 1,200, with all the faciltities Mr Whatmore suggests.’”