Description

James Miller & Partners, 1938. Large rectangular Modern Movement former cinema, 2-storey flat-roofed front block with curved corner entrance and tower, warehouse-like auditorium to rear. Grey harl and white rendered breeze blocks, rear hall red brick.

Front block: 3-bay 3-storey office building to NW with shops at ground floor; centre bay rendered and breaking eaves in off-set parapet, long vertical strip window now blocked; bay to left with advertising hoarding; to right bipartite windows at 1st and 2nd floor with triangulated rendered mullions. Narrow rendered tower with long vertical triangulated motif to SE, pyramidal roof with green glazed pantiles. SE corner defined by 2-storey 3-bay curved rendered entrance, 5 doorways at ground floor, 3 single windows above. Single bay fronting Mill Lane (?) rendered with off-set parapet breaking eaves and vertical strip window. NW elevation with irregular windows and large advertising hoarding.

Cinema block: harled to SE; NW elevation facing Water of Leith red brick with large blocked windows to basement.

Metal casement windows. Corrugated sheeting to hall.

Interior: vestibule with Art Deco detailing; main auditorium with vertical strip motifs to side walls, stage wall decorated with Art Deco detailing.

Statement of Interest

Designed by the Edinburgh-based housebuilders, James Miller & Pertners, this building was opened as the State Cinema on 19 December 1938 and was described as a 'luxury supercinema' which also included four shops, two billiard saloons and a skittle alley. The postal address of the property is apparently 205, though it falls on the even-numbered side of the road.

Unusual purpose-built multi-use leisure development that also incorporated several shops, two billiard halls, amd a skittle alley. Multi-use expressed through varied architectural elements in Art Deco style.

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

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17811201

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.

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