Pedantic cinema question - ABC Sauchiehall St

[nodrog]

Right, bit of a pedantic puzzler here.

I'm in the middle of a discussion (read: argument) regarding screen numbering at the old Regal/ABC/Cannon/MGM/ABC Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow.

http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... regal.html

This had a second auditorium added next door in 1967, which was called ABC-2. The original auditorium was then later quadrupled in 1979.

At _some_ point between then and the cinemas closure in 1999, the screen numbering changed such that the 70mm screen (the one with the big curved screen and yellow curtains)
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... ges/1.html
was called Screen 1, and the largest of the screens in the original auditorium (decorated in an attractive dark red colour)
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... ges/3.html
was Screen 2.

I remember the (yellow) 70mm screen being called Screen 1 for at least several years prior to closure; however other people seem to remember differently and insist the red screen was Screen 1!

Does anyone here have any memories (or old tickets!) that might help to shed light on the rough date of the renumbering?

Cheers!

Gordon

[kn0wledge]

I don't remember which screen was which, but that was my favourite cinema ever, particularly towards its' closure. Many times My friends and I would be the only ones in the whole screening room (the really big one).

[nodrog]

Yes it was my favourite cinemas as well!

...and while I'm on the topic, I remember well an odd row of what looked almost like old dark-wood shopfronts with glass panels in them that ran along the side of one the maze of corridors in the old part of the buildings.

Does anyone else remember this, or have any idea what the heck it was?

Gordon

[cumbo]

Have to agree it was one of my best places to go on wet afternoons,
I was the only person in one afternoon in the yellow curtain screen,
thats the one with the steeper auditorium,I watched U2' Rattle and hum
Fantastic!

[Bex Bissell]

On the subject of favorite cinemas, I must say that the ABC in Muirend was a teriffic wee cinema, any Soo-Sider that can remember going there during the 70's, 80's and into the 90's must surely recall the old ticket collector, he never seemed to age and always kept a hand hidden deep in his pocket, the reason for this I was told was that he was counting the ticket stubs in his pocket.
Apart from the numerous flee bites that were received upon any visit, it was the cinemas, screen 3 which had to be seen to believed. As far as cinema seating formations go this room was be-decked in what can only be descride as two, two seaters and two three seater sofas formation arranged in front of a Granada TV TEAC television.
My last visit there was to loose two hours of my life watching The Blair Witch Project, if memory serves me correctly they still had sweetie cigarettes on sale.
The cinemas poor marketing and extremely low pricing structure lead it towards closure, the building still stands and it's good to know that a developer has stepped in to turn this fine looking building into Quality Housing. Ahh!

[nodrog]

The cinemas poor marketing and extremely low pricing structure lead it towards closure, the building still stands

Well, not quite still stands... see:

http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinemas/demolition/

The reason for the closure was not that it was losing money, but Odeon simply weren't interested in running such suburban cinemas. It desperately needed a cash injection to do up the tatty seats and (most usefully) fix the heating, but no joy.

What a loss!

Gordon

[Bex Bissell]

Gordon, Many thanks for the attached pictures, i had forgotten the fantastic stained glass that was mounted in the windows aswell as the door panels, the banisters were pretty ornate aswell, where do these fixtures and fittings go??
As you say what a loss!!!

[nodrog]

Gordon, Many thanks for the attached pictures, i had forgotten the fantastic stained glass that was mounted in the windows aswell as the door panels, the banisters were pretty ornate aswell, where do these fixtures and fittings go??
As you say what a loss!!!

Into a skip mainly I think! Though it's possible they may keep some of the stained glass in the flats they build behind the retained facade. Doubt it though!
The planning application claims they will reuse some of the internal decoration in the entrance foyer to the flats, though given from the plans this space appears to be the size of a wardrobe, I'm not holding my breath.

I did manage to acquire some of the patterned tiles you can see in the photos, and some other bits and pieces, though I wish I had had a screwdriver with me as there were still a couple of bits of nice bannister still attached at that point!

If you're interested, you can see 'before demolition' pictures for comparison at:
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... oledo.html
and
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... ledo2.html

Gordon

[Bex Bissell]

Funnily enough there was a little piece in last nights Evening Times regarding "Toledo Court", the developers still had 8 £190k appartments still available.
I see that another old cinema, the one situated in Kings Park has also been tunred into Flats, the developer however has not been so sympathetic to the original facia or indeed any of the building.
Do you have any info on the the former cinema that was located in Battlefield Road, that then became a Sports Shop then into it's now present guise the Mission Bar?

[nodrog]

I see that another old cinema, the one situated in Kings Park has also been tunred into Flats, the developer however has not been so sympathetic to the original facia or indeed any of the building.

Pretty unsympathetic yes - given it was totally flattened!

Do you have any info on the the former cinema that was located in Battlefield Road, that then became a Sports Shop then into it's now present guise the Mission Bar?

Actually yes. This place is currently a rare omission from my Glasgow cinema website because I was mistakenly informed it had been demolished. I must get around to taking a photo of it at some point...

Anyway, it opened as the Queen's Cinemas in 1922, inthe basement & front garden of a tenement block. Renamed the Tonic in 1934, it seated about 500. It was run in the last few years as a south-side rival to the Cosmo/GFT, concentrating on art films. Closed 1962.

Hope this helps (and if anyone has any photos of the place I'd be delighted to use them on my site!)

Cheers
Gordon

[kn0wledge]

Gordon, a photo you might appreciate. I posted this in another thread, so you may have seen it already though.

It's on Kirk Road, in Wishaw. My mother tells me it's not been used as a cimena since the 1960s; it was a snooker hall for years after, then spent the past five years empty, and now it's a snooker hall again.

There is another one next door to it (on the right of the picture, you can just see the white building with blue painted arches) that I had always assumed to be part of the same cinema, but I've just been informed it was a separate one.

Mecca Bingo occupy it now, there's little of the original facade left. I will get a photo of it for you though.

[nodrog]

...Mecca Bingo occupy it now, there's little of the original facade left. I will get a photo of it for you though.

Thanks for the pic and the info. I have a shot of the one next door (was the Playhouse I believe) at:


http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... ishaw.html

along with Wishaw's short-lived and unsuccesful mini-plex!
Mind you any info you can dig up on opening/closing dates, any other information really, is most appreciated.

I'm always on the look out for photos of cinemas in places I don't have. or alternative shots of places I do. Places I'm especially interested in getting pics of are listed at:

http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinemas/todolist.html



Cheers
Gordon

[Bex Bissell]

Thanks Gordon!
I used to frequent the Mission Bar quite a bit many moons ago. The Mission it's self was opened up by a Greig Mcleod, who used reclaimed church furnishings as fixtures, pews, tables, stained glass etc.. This theme was also adapted for his bar the "Church on the Hill" on the walls I recall there were prints of the old Cinema along with pictures of the surrounding area, I believe the bar now is owned by JR Tennents.
Perhaps a quiet pint and a large hold all may hold the answer to your question. No, that may lead to imprisonment. Please disregard the last comment.
Sorry, cant be of any more help!

[kn0wledge]

Okay, I just read your "to do" list, and I believe this is the Roxy in Townhead Street, Hamilton. It is directly across from where the Odeon used to be.

[nodrog]

Okay, I just read your "to do" list, and I believe this is the Roxy in Townhead Street, Hamilton. It is directly across from where the Odeon used to be.

Ah - not quite. Thats the old ABC Regal, which has been sitting empty for many a year... I'd love to get inside that place for a look sometime.

The Roxy was apparently a different place, though I have no reason to believe it still exists, merely that I don't know that it doesnt still exist, if you see what I mean...

See
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... ilton.html

Lovely pictures though; mind if I update my Hamilton page to use them? Full credit given of course!

Gordon