Glasgow, 45, 47, 49 Bankhall Street, Govanhill Picture Palace

Govanhill Picture House, 47 Bankhall Street, 1925, Eric Sutherland

Egyptian front, Hindu domes, lotus-bud columns in tiled centrepiece, now a warehouse, but at t risk of demolition and redevelopment. An exotic change from Sutherland's conventional gothic churches or classical banks, such as his Royal Bank, 471 Gallowgate (see Central Glasgow Guide).

Taken from "Greater Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Sam Small, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk

NS56SE 1057 58809 62617

Long rectangular-plan gabled range with flank to street. Egyptian-derived entrance set forward central; contrasting green and white tiles and white harl; arched wide open entrance, pair lotus bud columns, flanking square turrets with octagonal ogee-domed drums enclosed by parapets, open-worked balcony at mid-wall height extends either side, towards lesser porch at right; gabled range has tiled roof, tile-clad E gable head with flat-roofed shallow range abutting.

An unusual Egyptian inspired design, the former Govanhill Picture House seated 1,200. It is one of only a handful of Egyptian-themed cinemas in the UK. Although described as having stalls and balcony, the front 'balcony' came right down to the sear of the 'stalls' level, with a wooden dividing wall to keep the separate areas apart.

It was sold to ABC in 1929 and the cinema remained in use until 1961 when the last film, "Song Without End" was run. The building subsequently became a bingo hall, then a warehouse. The Cinema Theatre Association website notes that planning permission for a façade retention with flats to the rear was granted in 2007.

References and Notes updated as part of Cinemas Thematic Study 2007-08.(Historic Scotland)