Will Dundee Get A Real Bash Street?

(Updated 11/12/12): Class 2B of Bash Street School, otherwise known as The Bash Street Kids, have been entertaining us in The Beano since the strip first appeared under its original title of When The Bell Rings in the issue dated 13 February 1954. Beano editor George Moonie was inspired by the antics of the children of the High School Of Dundee, the playground of which could be seen from the windows of the Beano office, and he passed the idea to artist Leo Baxendale whose imagination did the rest.

The street and school as seen in the comic do not exist in reality in Dundee but with the major redevelopment work that is going on in the city at the moment the opportunity has arisen to name a new street and the proposal that will be going in front of Dundee City Council is that it should be called Bash Street.

The consultation letter from Dundee City Council's Street Naming and Numbering Team states: "There is a proposal for a children's soft play area withinthe former works buildings off West Marketgait. As part of this development DC Thomson is in discussions with a local developer re licensing the Beano IP within thebranded children’s soft play centre. Planning consent has been granted for thesoft play centre.

"The Bash Street Kids will feature heavily in the new centrealongside Dennis the Menace, Gnasher, Minnie the Minx, Roger the Dodgerand The Beano logo. Dundee City Council has received a request from DCThomson to allocate the name Bash Street to the street adjacent to 142/144 WestMarketgait which currently has no name. This is to tie-in with the proposed newbuild and to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of The Beano in 2013 in the comic’s hometown."

The as yet unnamed new street is beside a Travelodge hotel off West Marketgait and between the West Port Roundabout and Guthrie Street where DC Thomson used to have their printing works. Indeed the area is only a short walk from DC Thomson's Courier Building and the High School Of Dundee itself.

At the moment the name is at the proposal stage however Councillor Fraser MacPherson, who represents the area in the city council, has stated on his blog, "I think this is a superb proposal." He goes on to say, "Dundee having its very own Bash Street seems very appropriate and I'm very pleased that Bash Street will be in the West End Ward!"

There are more details of the High School Of Dundee's connection with The Bash Street Kids over on Bear Alley.


Update, 11th December 2012: The BBC reports Dundee Council has now approved these plans. See: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-20672645