Campbeltown Picture House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Campbeltown Picture House |
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| General information | |
| Type | cinema |
| Architectural style | Glasgow style (art nouveau) |
| Location | Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°25′26″N 5°36′11″W / 55.4240°N 5.6031°W |
| Completed | 1913 |
| Opened | May 1913 |
| Renovated | 2016-2017 |
| Owner | Campbeltown Community Business Ltd |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Albert V. Gardner |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Burrell Foley Fischer LLP |
| Renovating firm | Corramore Construction |
| Structural engineer | David Narro Associates |
| Services engineer | Irons Foulner Consulting Engineers Ltd |
The Campbeltown Picture House is a special movie theater located in Campbeltown, Scotland. It first opened its doors in 1913. This makes it one of the very first cinemas in Scotland built just for showing movies. It is also the only remaining "atmospheric theatre" in Scotland. This means it was designed to make you feel like you were watching a movie outdoors, under a sky.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of the Picture House
Early Days and Unique Design
Locally, people often call the Picture House "The Wee Pictures." It was designed by an architect named Albert Gardner. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art before creating this unique building. The cinema officially opened in May 1913. It has been showing movies almost continuously since then, except for a short break in the 1980s.
The building has three floors. The projection room, where the movies are shown from, is on the top floor. The balcony seating area is on the middle floor, and the main entrance is on the ground floor.
The "Atmospheric Style" Makeover
In 1935, Albert Gardner was asked to update the cinema. He gave it a special "atmospheric style" makeover. This included a blue ceiling that looked like a sky, complete with moving white clouds! Small plaster buildings were added to the walls, making it feel like you were in a Mediterranean courtyard. During this update, new sound equipment was also installed, so movies could be enjoyed with sound.
A Recognized Gem
In August 2017, the Picture House was chosen as one of Scotland's six "Hidden Gems." This was part of a special campaign called Dig It! 2017.
In November 2017, the National Library of Scotland received a special gift. Campbeltown Community Business Ltd donated all the historical records about the Picture House to the Library's Moving Image Archive. This collection includes old newspaper articles, original building plans, advertisements, and financial records. It even has details about a plane crash in 1938. The cinema had to close that night because the film reels for the movie were on the plane!
Modern Updates: The Restoration Project
Bringing the Cinema Back to Life
In 2016, a big project began to restore the Campbeltown Picture House. This restoration cost about £2.5 million and was finished in 2017. The work was done by architects Burrell Foley Fischer and a construction company called Corramore Construction. Many different groups helped fund the project, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Scottish Government, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
New Features for Visitors
Thanks to the restoration, the cinema now has two movie screens. One auditorium has 192 seats, and the other has 53 seats. There is also a brand new foyer, which is like a waiting area, a café, an art gallery, and a space for educational activities. The first pictures of the beautifully restored cinema were shared in November 2017.
