I thought I’d posted about this one but it seems I haven’t. Variously the Rialto, Gaumont and Odeon this cinema was at 204 High Street, Kirkcaldy.

See photo on the Scottish Cinemas website.

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:-

A beautiful piece of Art Deco in Rhyl, North Wales. The former Odeon Theatre in Rhyl is now a bingo hall. From reverse shows horizontals, verticals, curves, a canopy and rule of three in windows (whose eyes have sadly been put out.)

High Art Deco style here. Curved corner, streamlining in the brick:-

Entrance, canopy and white cladding:-

Full frontage (stitch of two photos):-

Detail. Note rule of three in the small windows here:-

Just down Hill Street from the town centre proper, in Brook Street, lies Atik, formerly the Odeon Cinema:-

Strong verticals, rule of three in columns (and windows.)

Stitch 1:-

Stitch 2:-

The building as it was :-

Once the Paramount, before it became an Odeon, this is a building which is not as glorious as it used to be.

Full view from Upper Renfield Street:-

Corner element from Renfield Street:-

Renfiled Street aspect. Note the two men abseiling down the frontage, perhaps cleaning it:-

Detail of corner frontage:-

This is still a stunning looking building even if it needs a lot of tlc. I believe, however, only the facade remains as the Scottish cinemas website records. Compare this with this.