Description

1912. 2-storey former cinema on corner site with chamfered corner block and shops flanking. Red brick corner block with red sandstone ashlar dressings, tall harled parapet screen, rubble gable walls. Shops divided by shallow ashlar pilasters, continuous frieze and cornice above, original shopfronts with recessed doorways and glazed shopfronts; 1st floor parapet screens divided by pedimented brick pilasters with harled panels breaking eaves; corner block with cornice and blocking course.

W (CORNER BLOCK) ELEVATION: chamfered corner bay with bays flanking. Entrance elevation with broad moulded and keystoned segmental arch, domed and curved recess behind with doorway (altered) and floral plasterwork frieze; square window above in recessed panel with shouldered architrave bearing tablet and 3 small windows above, breaking eaves in open pediment; 2 windows flanking. Outer flanking bays to NW and SW with shopfronts at ground floor and single and paired windows at 1st floor.

NW (CONSTITUTION STREET) ELEVATION: 4 shopfronts with 2 plain doorways, secondary doorway flanked by 2 windows to outer left, elaborate panelling to doorways; screen parapet above divided into 4 parts by brick pilasters.

SW (DUKE STREET) ELEVATION: 2 shops and public house framing deep set entrance doorway, fishmongers (No 11) with original interior (shelving and marble top counter), tiled doorway and stained glass inset to shop window; parapet screen above divided into 3 parts by brick pilasters.

10-pane timber sash and case windows to corner block, 4-pane upper sashes, 6-pane lower sashes. Slate roof; 2 gablehead stacks to SE and NE, mutual stacks to corner block.

INTERIOR: now converted to a pub (2008) which occupies ground floor. Disused upper area still with cinema seats; rear of balcony with original brown and gold panelling (CTA, 2008).

Statement of Interest

An early example of its type, this purpose built former cinema is prominently sited at a strategic junction at the foot of Leith Walk and displays a striking corner arched entrance.

Opened in 1913 with around 2000 seats. Closed 31st December 1966, then used as a bingo hall, (CTA, 2008).

References and notes updated as part of the Cinemas Thematic Study 2007-08.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56631344

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey