Rutherglen bingo hall becoming restaurant elicits 'mixed feelings' from politicians

dailyrecord.co.uk:

There are “mixed feelings” amongst Rutherglen politicians regarding the approved plans to convert the abandoned Main Street bingo hall into a new restaurant.We reported this week that the Planning Application and Listed Building Application for the deserted former Rutherglen Mecca bingo hall had been given the green light by South Lanarkshire Council to be converted into a 280-seater restaurant.However, the decision was met with a mixture of optimism and nostalgia from local politicians, who have voiced their thoughts on the project’s potential to revive a neglected stretch of the town.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Leading the commentary was Liberal Democrat Councillor Robert Brown, who admitted: "I have mixed feelings about it."He continued: "It is good to see a positive use for the Odeon.

However, like many people in Rutherglen, I remember when the Odeon was a cinema. In fact, my very first local campaign was to try to secure ongoing cinema facilities in Rutherglen when the Odeon became a bingo hall.

It was the last surviving cinema in Rutherglen.“I hope the new owners will keep as much of the picture hall ambience as possible."This sentiment of nostalgia is shared by many in the community who remember the building’s previous incarnations.Once a bustling cinema and later a lively bingo hall,