The A-listed Picture House in
Campbeltown is an amazing
survivor and holder of several
records. It is now the oldest
purpose-built cinema in Scotland
still showing films, the only
cinema in Scotland still with
atmospheric-style decoration,
and one of the few cinema
buildings that remains
undivided, allowing films to be
seen from a choice of stalls or
balcony. It also unusually has
never had a name change!
The Picture House opened on 26th
May 1913, the first cinema in
the town. It was designed by
prolific cinema architect AV
Gardner (later to design such
cinemas as the Grosvenor and the
Kelvin, and better known now as
one half of the partnership of
Gardner and Glen) to seat 640.
His design for the building was
quite unlike any other cinema
building of the time, which,
when viewed in plan projection,
are clearly based around a
series of concentric ovals, the
highest and narrowest of which
consisted of the projection box,
with a larger oval below that at
balcony level, with another
curved frontage and foyer area
below - the curved walls are
very noticeable on the exterior
facade, and, in another unusual
touch, were mirrored on the back
wall of the auditorium.
There was no foyer to speak of,
with doors under a single
central ticket box open to the
elements, protected only by an
open-air balcony above.
Sadly no photographs of the
original 1913 interior are
currently available, but
descriptions suggest stained
glass windows on either side of
the proscenium, and decoration
including potted plants and
boxes. The original plans also
show an orchestra pit below the
stage, and two dressing rooms
(one on each side of the
screen).
The cinema was a great success,
and in July 1931 the cinema
closed for 11 days to allow
sound equipment to be installed.
An additional kiosk building was
built next door to provide
additional queuing space for
customers waiting to get into
the main building!
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