Description

Lennox & MacMath, opened 1939/40. Streamlined Art Deco former cinema converted to bingo 1964. Prominently sited on gently-sloping corner site with wide 2-storey, 5-bay curved corner entrance with distinctive chevron-glazed lights divided by fin pilasters. Painted stone to street elevation; cement-rendered auditorium. Base course; 5 picture windows at 1st floor to High Street elevation linked by cill course (stepped down 2 bays to outer right).

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: 3 pairs of 2-leaf metal-framed glazed doors to recessed corner entrance under curved cantilevered concrete canopy 5 tall windows above with chevron glazing divided by projecting fins breaking wallhead. Asymmetrical streamlined style retail shop front to outer right of High Street elevation with curved window.

INTERIOR: decorative scheme of auditorium largely intact with classical-derived Art Deco detailing. Cinema seating removed for bingo hall conversion. Segmental-arched proscenium with roll-moulded cornice springing from triple colonettes and deep cavetto-moulded architrave; curved balcony. Projection room largely intact.

Decorative glazing to 1st floor corner section; non-traditional glazing to picture windows. Corrugated asbestos roof.

Statement of Interest

The former Globe Cinema is a good example of a small town 1930s streamlined Art Deco cinema. It is prominently sited on a corner position in the High Street, and importantly, its distinctive corner entrance with fins and chevron glazing pattern remains intact.

Lennox & MacMath, a Glasgow-based firm, was established in 1906 and specialised in cinema and petrol station design. Most of their work was carried out in Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire.

While the streamlined Art Deco design was fashionable at the time, Chris Doak has noted that a consciously modern appearance for the cinema was a requirement of Johnstone Town Council. In the 1930s the Council wished all new buildings to have a modern appearance as part of a largely unfulfilled plan to modernise the town centre. Its position slightly set back from the existing building line was also a requirement - a recess of 10ft was stipulated to allow for possible future widening of the High Street.

Chris Doak notes that the builder for the Globe cinema was Kenneth Friese-Greene of Sheffield who was a cinema equipment specialist and amateur cinematographer. He was the son of William Friese-Greene, who is often credited as the inventor of cinematography. Kenneth's brother Claude was also a successful cinematographer.

The picture windows originally had metal-framed margined lying-pane glazing. The cinema has been used as a bingo hall since 1964.

Listed following the Cinemas Thematic Study 2007-8.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77780916

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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