West End, Dundee
Encyclopedia
The West End is an area of the city of Dundee
, Scotland
. Bordered to the south by the River Tay
, to the north by Blackness
and to the east by the city centre, the West End is primarily an affluent residential area surrounding its main commercial thoroughfare, Perth Road, and the main campus of the University of Dundee
.Dundee City Council West End statistics
Since 1998, the city council has developed a "Cultural Quarter" at the boundary between the city centre and the West End which is now home to the Dundee Repertory Theatre
, the Whitehall Theatre, the Sensation Science Centre and Dundee Contemporary Arts
building as well as other commercial galleries and studios, and the university's Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
.
is located in this area and provides a focal point for some 20,000 students. The neighbourhood is also home to St Andrew’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Morgan Tower, an 18th Century tenement which is now a pharmacy
– and Blackness Library located further west at the Sinderins: the area where Perth Road and the Hawkhill diverge once forming a major entry point to Dundee.
The university's Botanic Gardens and sports facilities are located by the river next to Dundee Airport
. The university’s College of Life Sciences located on Hawkhill incorporates the Wellcome Trust
Biocentre, Sir James W. Black
Centre, MRC
Protein Phosphorylation Unit and Cancer Research UK
Centre laboratories.
houses compared to the large proportion of tenements built to house workers, primarily those involved in the Jute
industry, in other sectors of the city. The housing in the area is popular among students due to its proximity to the university. The West End has been subject to a large degree of studentification. By attracting people from across the UK and other countries, the university district has evolved a separate identity within Dundee. Town and gown
relations are generally cordial, although issues such as Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and parking difficulties are amongst the problems between the indigenous population and the University.
), Donald Hay (Conservative
), James Barrie (Scottish National Party
) and Richard McCready (Labour
).
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Bordered to the south by the River Tay
River Tay
The River Tay is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the United Kingdom. The Tay originates in western Scotland on the slopes of Ben Lui , then flows easterly across the Highlands, through Loch Dochhart, Loch Lubhair and Loch Tay, then continues east through Strathtay , in...
, to the north by Blackness
Blackness, Dundee
Blackness is an area of the city of Dundee. Broadly, Blackness is located to the north of the city's West End and is centred around the Blackness Road, where a number of small, local shops are located...
and to the east by the city centre, the West End is primarily an affluent residential area surrounding its main commercial thoroughfare, Perth Road, and the main campus of the University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
.Dundee City Council West End statistics
Since 1998, the city council has developed a "Cultural Quarter" at the boundary between the city centre and the West End which is now home to the Dundee Repertory Theatre
Dundee Repertory Theatre
Dundee Repertory Theatre or Dundee Rep is a theatre and arts company in the city of Dundee, Scotland. It operates as both a producing house - staging at least six of its own productions each year, and a receiving house - hosting work from visiting companies throughout Scotland and the United...
, the Whitehall Theatre, the Sensation Science Centre and Dundee Contemporary Arts
Dundee Contemporary Arts
Dundee Contemporary Arts is an art centre in the city of Dundee, Scotland which houses two contemporary art galleries, a two-screen cinema, a print studio, a visual research centre and a café bar.- History :...
building as well as other commercial galleries and studios, and the university's Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design is an integral part of the University of Dundee in Dundee, Scotland. It is ranked as one of the top schools of art and design in the United Kingdom and has an outstanding reputation in both practice and research.-History:Attempts were made to...
.
Landmarks
The University of DundeeUniversity of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
is located in this area and provides a focal point for some 20,000 students. The neighbourhood is also home to St Andrew’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Morgan Tower, an 18th Century tenement which is now a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
– and Blackness Library located further west at the Sinderins: the area where Perth Road and the Hawkhill diverge once forming a major entry point to Dundee.
The university's Botanic Gardens and sports facilities are located by the river next to Dundee Airport
Dundee Airport
-Road:The airport lies on the main A85 Riverside Drive, which links the city centre to the Kingsway and the A90, with the airport barely a couple of kilometers from the city centre itself. Taxis are available from outside the airport.-Bus:...
. The university’s College of Life Sciences located on Hawkhill incorporates the Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
Biocentre, Sir James W. Black
James W. Black
Sir James Whyte Black, OM, FRS, FRSE, FRCP was a Scottish doctor and pharmacologist. He spent his career both as researcher and as an academic at several universities. Black established the physiology department at the University of Glasgow, where he became interested in the effects of adrenaline...
Centre, MRC
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
Protein Phosphorylation Unit and Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
Centre laboratories.
Character of area
The district has many shops, bars, restaurants and hotels although this is balanced by many residential properties especially heading west. The area has traditionally been more affluent with many large Edwardian periodEdwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...
houses compared to the large proportion of tenements built to house workers, primarily those involved in the Jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
industry, in other sectors of the city. The housing in the area is popular among students due to its proximity to the university. The West End has been subject to a large degree of studentification. By attracting people from across the UK and other countries, the university district has evolved a separate identity within Dundee. Town and gown
Town and gown
Town and gown are two distinct communities of a university town; "town" being the non-academic population and "gown" metonymically being the university community, especially in ancient seats of learning such as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and St Andrews, although the term is also used to describe...
relations are generally cordial, although issues such as Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and parking difficulties are amongst the problems between the indigenous population and the University.
Governance
With the recent re-organisation of wards for elections to Dundee City Council there is now a new West End Ward, where it is the only ward in the city to be represented by all 4 main political parties. The councillors for the area are currently Fraser Macpherson (Liberal DemocratLiberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
), Donald Hay (Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
), James Barrie (Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
) and Richard McCready (Labour
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
).