Former printing works pressed into service for Dundee Design Festival

West Ward Works produced five million books a year at its peak

For more than half a century its thundering printing presses produced much-loved Christmas stocking fillers, including The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals.

Five million books a year flew out of DC Thomson's West Ward Works during the Dundee plant's 1960s and 70s heyday.

In 2010 the presses fell silent when the Guthrie Street works, which employed generations of people in the city, were closed.

But, it will be brought back to life to house the first Dundee Design Festival.

Organisers say the May festival will be a four-day celebration of design, marking the city's first full year as the UK's Unesco City of Design.

The Beano Book was one of the many titles printed at West Ward Works

It will showcase design from Dundee, Scotland and internationally, through a large exhibition, talks, demonstrations and workshops.

Glory days

The now-empty spaces soon to host the event are a far cry from the site's glory days when up to 200 people worked there.

Many started their employment as fresh-faced teenagers straight from school and left as grandparents.

Titles including the Beezer, Twinkle, Black Bob, Sparky, and Topper were all produced at the site.

Originally production took place at Bank Street before moving to Guthrie Street in 1949.

Generations of Dundonians were employed at DC Thomson's West Ward Works

It was also home to the company's transport department, accommodating fleets of cars and lorries in the basement.

DC Thomson director and chief operating officer David Thomson said he was "delighted" that the building would host the design festival.

He said: "We've been exploring ideas for the potential revitalisation of our West Ward building as a cultural space and this seemed like an ideal opportunity to try it out.

"Other former jute mills and industrial spaces have been successfully redeveloped so we hope that this temporary upgrade for West Ward will help us to understand whether there is an appetite for an arts space at our building in Guthrie Street."

The West Ward Works building as it looks today

Organisers have said the the festival, which takes place between 25 May and 28 May, will allow visitors to experience a "diversity of design excellence and innovation."

Anna Day, Unesco City of Design's Dundee manager, said: "We are delighted to be working with DC Thomson to bring this building back to life.

"It's a hugely important part of the city's heritage and it will be exciting to welcome people in to see the exhibition which will highlight the best design of the future from Dundee and across Scotland.