Opera Scotland

Bell Street Hall Dundee

The Bell Street Hall was from the 1840s the largest public hall in Dundee, capable of holding 800-1000 people ('The Kinloch Monument' Dundee Courier Wednesday 16 June  1858 p2)

It remained in use after the new public hall in Bank Street was opened, a building that was known as the Corn Exchange and then as the Kinnaird Hall, capable of holding 2500.

For more on the Bell Street Hall, see various reports in the Courier. A death toll of 19 resulted following a crush in January 1865. The hall was entered after descending a steep set of steps. There was a crush for a concert; the gates were opened, and in the press of people, folk were knocked down.  There is an article about the event in the Scots Magazine.

NB It was really a church basement on the south side of Bell Street at the corner of Constitution Road.  On the north side, where a car park and Abertay library now stand, was a civic cemetary, which was removed in the 1960s.