Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock

1.   Duke Street, looking southeast towards the Palace Theatre and Albert Tower.

Photograph: ca. 1920
Photographer: Unkniown
Image from East Ayrshire Council Collections

At the turn of the century there were seven streets radiating from Kilmarnock Cross.  These were, in clockwise order starting from the north, Portland Street, Fore Street, Regent Street, Duke Street, Waterloo Street, King Street and Bank Street.

Today, the Cross looks completely different.

Prior to the completion of the A77 by-pass in the 1970s, heavy traffic, both north and southbound, passed through the town centre.  Southbound traffic, in the direction of Hurlford and Dumfries, passed down Duke Street crossed the river and continued southwards by London Road.

After the opening of the by-pass it was possible to exclude all traffic from the town centre and a complete redevelopment saw some of the streets demolished, including Duke Street, Fore Street, Regent Street and Waterloo Street. Shops were built along the line of Fore Street's northern end, becoming the Foregate, the Burns Shopping Mall covering the old Duke Street area, and the Bus Station and Multi-storey Car Park replaced the Regent Street area. Two significant casualties of the redevelopment were the Town House and the King Street Church.

In this view of Duke Street, the Palace Theatre and the Albert Tower can be seen.  The theatre facade overlooking London Road is visible.  Contrast the street levels in this image with those shown in the views from the Green Street area today.

The electric tramway opened in 1904 and closed in 1926.  The line visible in this image is the route from Kilmarnock town centre to Riccarton.

Image 3797S356 from the Local Collections ©East Ayrshire Council