Govan's Lyceum Cinema dates from 1938 - at the time it was a stunning modernist cinema with a curved backlit wall of glass, and seated 2,600. Bought by County in 1974, it was split in two, with bingo in the stalls and a 480-seat cinema in what was the balcony - the beautiful circular entrance was partitioned.
The cinema side continued until 1981, with the original circular paybox pulled to one side - it's still there:
County were bought by Gala in 2006, who closed the bingo side - the cinema has been unused since then, and getting pretty derelict, but the new owner has plans to redevelop it - reopening the cinema side, and using the stalls as a performance space. This was a by-invitation visit to take pictures to help with bids for funding.
First, the cinema side - to one side of the entrance are some rooms with old film posters, including a 3D Ben Hur one! That didn't photograph well:
The stairs up to the cinema are very elegant:
Then the upper foyer and toilets - I never usually bother photographing the cludgies, but these were pretty:
Into the cinema itself:
With some very cool '30s lights:
Up to the projection booth - no projectors, but I found them under the cinema floor.
In the power room next to the projection booth were a couple of mercury vapour rectifiers:
A quick look into the roof space:
There were some bits and pieces of film lying about - mostly "Coming Soon" snippets, but I did find a Kia-Ora advert
Back stairs:
The other side of the stairs to the balcony, with original gilt mouldings:
Next, into the bingo side, and the other half of the circular entrance:
Bingo book sales desk:
The stalls, with the amazing original screen area:
Down to the basement for a quick look at the boilers:
And finally back to the stalls:
More, as usual, in my Flickr set...
