Campaign to rebuild Dundee’s historic Royal Arch

An online petition to reinstate the famous structure has already garnered more than 350 signatures. Picture: Getty

An online petition to reinstate the famous structure has already garnered more than 350 signatures - despite only being opened on Thursday morning.

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The campaign hopes to garner as many as 20,000 supporters in a bid to pressure the Royal Arch’s reconstruction as part of Dundee’s £1 billion waterfront redevelopment.

The petition has also been shared more than 800 times on Facebook.

Posting on the Lost Dundee Facebook page, the petition organisers said: “Dundee’s famous Royal Arch has sadly been gone for a number of years now.

“It seems that a very high percentage of all us here at Lost Dundee feel that it should return or at least be replicated and reinstated to its former glory.

“Over the years a number of individuals have tried to fight this case. However, the voices have fallen on deaf ears.

“We have put together a petition to fight for the Royal Arch to be put back in its rightful place at Dundee docks as the new developments unfold among the people.

“We are looking for a large amount of signatures here.”

Many of those who have already signed the petition spoke of their hope that the structure would be restored.

Barbara Dowding said: “I walked under that arch so many times going to and from the old baths.

“Very fond memories and a Dundee icon.”

However, others are less enthusiastic. Paddy McArtney wrote: “(It is) never going to happen.

“It can’t be put back in its original place because there is a road over the top of where it stood.”

The huge structure was originally erected between 1849 and 1853 to commemorate a visit to the city by Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, in 1844 - but it was razed in 1964 to make way for the Tay Road Bridge.