Wow! Just wow!

My jaw dropped when I turned a corner in Harrogate and found this:-

This must be one of the most stunning examples of Art Deco cinema architecture in the UK.  Most 1930s Odeon cinemas were fine illustrations of Art Deco but this has just about everything. Thin stepped tower with deco fonted lettering on the word ‘Cinema’, the canopy, the cream and green curve above it leading into the curved cream tower with thin line of windows and green streamlining at top, rule of three in the windows on the brick portion.

Side view. Look at those windows and green detailing below roofline:-

The curved tower is beautiful:-

By the door on the cinema’s wall is this plaque outlining its history. It’s even been featured on a stamp:-

As a contrast to Knaresborough Castle I thought I’d post poictures of the two Art Deco style buildings I found in Knaresborough.

Former Woolworths, now a Tesco Express. Very typical Woolworths detailing:-

Cosmetic Dental:-

Galbraith’s, on the corner of Burns Statue Square and Miller Road, Ayr.  Curved corner, detailing to top, flagstaff, rule of three in windows to right. (Lower windows completely ruined):-

Art Deco detail:-

Miller Road aspect:-

Curved gable end to Galbraith’s Miller Road facade. Ruined windows, though:-

The Smokehouse, Alloway Place. Curved windows with rule of three, white rendering, flat roof. The upper windows may be original Critall ones. (Or perhaps not, what with their black surround.):-

The windows in the one below are Deco, as are the rooftop projections. The middle portion has an eastern feel though. Overall it’s an odd one. It’s situated on the A 719 where it merges with Main Street.

Frontage:-

On corner of Fort Street and Barns Street:-

On corner of Garden Street and River Street:-

Art Deco detailing on the Kyle Shopping Centre in Ayr, now closed. Carrick Street frontage:-

High Street frontage:-

Art Deco cinema in Ayr. Statue of Robert Burns to right. Memorial to Colonial Wars to left.

Apparently this is the first true Odeon to be built in Scotland. Sadly as the following two photos show it is now somewhat in need of care and attention.

Odeon Cinema, upper portion:-

On our trip to Ayrshire in October we stayed overnight in Ayr. I found plenty to photograph including the Art Deco Gaiety Theatre.  The attached building (Stagedoor) is also Deco in style:-

Photo of Gaiety showing stepped roofline, streamlining, canopy:-

Gaiety’s entrance column:-

Stagedoor from side:-

The Maid of the Loch is a paddle steamer which was the last largish vessel to cruise up and down Loch Lomond. It was apparently the last paddle steamer to be built in Britain, at the Glasgow shipyard of A & J Inglis.

For a while it had been tied up at a pier in Balloch at the foot of the Loch and trading as a floating restaurant.

Latterly it has been under refurbishment.

Last September various buildings and organisations in the West Dunbartonshire area held an open day. We took the opportunity to visit.

Access to the interior was by a somewhat precarious metal stairway. The inside was of course far from pristine due to the refurbishments. Some of the original fittings were still in evidence, though.

Ship’s Bell:-

Art  Deco style clock in saloon:-

There was a model in lego:-

And what I assume was an older model. However, I remember her colour as being totally white back in the day:-

One of the traditions of a cruise on the loch (or indeed “Doon the Watter” – see first paragraph in link) was a visit to “see the engines.” (The inverted commas are because some male passengers used this phrase as an excuse to go to a ship’s bar.)

Engines:-

I always find these ships’ engines fascinating especally when they are in motion and powering a ship.

One of the internal exhibits was the decoration of one of the ship’s paddle boxes:-

Insch is a village in Aberdeenshire. We visited it during our trip north in August.

This shop with strong horizontals and verticals has a deco look. Its eyes have been poked out though.

Aboyne is a village in Aberdeenshire.

This shop built in the Art Deco style (albeit in granite which doesn’t actually sit well with Deco I feel) wasn’t a surprise to me. I’d seen it on a TV news report from Aboyne a few months earlier. Most of the rest of the village architecture is standard Scottish rural stuff.

Horizontals and verticals, rule of three in the embellishments above the windows and door:-