Basic Site Details | Name: | Orient Cinema | | Town, district or village: | Ayr | | City or county: | Ayrshire | | Country: | Scotland | | Parish: | | | Status: | | | Grid ref: | | | Notes: | 'Atmospheric' cinema with a Moorish theme. Used as a bingo hall for a decade from 1983; now derelict.
Contractor Finlay & McGeechan
Plans are being prepared for a new cinema in Main-street. Mr John McAlister, solicitor, 65 Bath-street, Glasgow is connected with the scheme. The architect is Mr Albert V Glen (sic) 164 Bath-street, Glasgow. [Builder 2 October 1931 Page 562]
Mr John McAllister, solicitor, Glasgow, has submitted a petition to Ayr Dean of Guild Court for the erection of a picture house on the west side of Main-street, Ayr. The petition was granted subject to street work being adjusted with the town surveyor. Excluding furnishings, the cost is £12,000. It will be fitted with “talkie” apparatus with seating accommodation for over 1,600. The architect is Mr A V Gardner, 164 Bath-street, Glasgow [Builder 30 October 1931 Page 562]
A contract for excavation and for building of the super cinema for Mr John McAlister, 59 Bath-street, Glasgow at Main-street (Mr Albert V Glen (sic) 164 Bath-street, Glasgow, architect) has gone to Messrs Finlay and McGeechan, 8 Palm-street, Glasgow. [Builder 18 December 1931 Page 971] | Building Type Classification| The building is classified under the following categories: | | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes |  | Cinema | | |
Street Addresses| The following street addresses are associated with this building: | | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Main Street | | |
Events| The following date-based events are associated with this building: | | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1931 | 1932 | Build/construction | | | 1950s | | | Interior details removed and interior rebuilt |
PeopleDesign and Construction| The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Albert Victor Gardner | | A | 1931 | 1932 | |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this building: | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Close, Rob and Riches, Anne | 2012 | The Buildings of Scotland: Ayrshire & Arran | | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | p165 | | Close, Robert | 1992 | Ayrshire and Arran, an Illustrated Architectural Guide | | Edinburgh: RIAS | p30 | | Peter, Bruce | 2000 | Clyde Coast Picture Palaces | | Ochiltree: Stenlake Publishing | p42 |
Periodical References| The following periodicals contain references to this building: | | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 5 January 1931 | | | p562 | | Builder | 30 October 1931 | | | p362 | | Builder | 18 December 1931 | | | p971 |
Archive References| The following archives hold material relating to this building: | | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Courtesy of Neil Darlington | Information sent via DSA website | | Sent June 2009 |
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