Cambuslang

A small independent cinema, the Picture House/Empire was on the corner of Hamilton Road and Clydeford Road, next to the former gas works and tram (later bus) terminus. Kine Year Books list the original proprietors as the Cambuslang Picture House Co. Ltd.

Construction was underway in May 1920 when it was ordered to halt by the local authorities - along with under-construction cinemas in Bellshill and Harthill - seemingly over concern about the post-war availability of materials. It eventually officially opened in May 1921 by W.E. Whyte, District Clerk for the Middle Ward of the County of Lanark. The Managing Director was Jimmy McMenemy, a well-known Rutherglen-born footballer who played for Celtic for many years, then Partick Thistle, as well as receiving a dozen caps for Scotland. A presentation at the opening was made to the architect, John Fairweather, and the builder, Oliver Sproul. The building also featured a billiards hall in the basement. The Kine Year Book lists the resident manager in 1928 as John Gilroy.

In 1928, the same directors and house manager formed a new venture to open another cinema nearby, primarily, it seems, to counter any rival operators from opening in the town. This was to…

A small independent cinema, the Picture House/Empire was on the corner of Hamilton Road and Clydeford Road, next to the former gas works and tram (later bus) terminus. Kine Year Books list the original proprietors as the Cambuslang Picture House Co. Ltd.

Construction was underway in May 1920 when it was ordered to halt by the local authorities - along with under-construction cinemas in Bellshill and Harthill - seemingly over concern about the post-war availability of materials. It eventually officially opened in May 1921 by W.E. Whyte, District Clerk for the Middle Ward of the County of Lanark. The Managing Director was Jimmy McMenemy, a well-known Rutherglen-born footballer who played for Celtic for many years, then Partick Thistle, as well as receiving a dozen caps for Scotland. A presentation at the opening was made to the architect, John Fairweather, and the builder, Oliver Sproul. The building also featured a billiards hall in the basement. The Kine Year Book lists the resident manager in 1928 as John Gilroy.

In 1928, the same directors and house manager formed a new venture to open another cinema nearby, primarily, it seems, to counter any rival operators from opening in the town. This was to become the Savoy, which opened on 8th September 1930, and was also designed by John Fairweather. If preventing competition was indeed the aim of the Savoy, the scheme was only partially successful as ABC opened the Ritz just along the Main Street in May 1930.

On the 25th August, 1933, an overnight fire discovered by passing policemen gutted the Cambuslang Picture House but it was repaired and re-opened in Autumn 1934. At some point later in the 1930s, it was renamed Empire.

It was offered for sale in the late 1950s but it is unclear when exactly it closed - likely in the 1960s. After a long spell of dereliction, concern was raised that it was being entered by children and used by glue-sniffers, and it was demolished in 1987.

The Ritz cinema was built for the Scottish Cinema and Variety Theatres circuit, who were a foundational part of what would later become the national ABC cinema chain under the ownership of Glasgow lawyer John Maxwell.

It was designed by William Beresford Inglis, who was both an architect and later cinema/hotel owner. He designed many of his own buildings including the Toledo Cinema in Muirend and the Beresford Hotel in Sauchiehall Street, both of which remain as art deco landmarks converted to flats.

One of his trademark styles was to adopt the "atmospheric" style of cinema design, where the auditorium was built to resemble an exterior piazza or courtyard, surrounded by miniature 3-D plaster buildings under a ceiling painted to resemble a sky, often at night with twinkling star light effects. The Ritz was designed as an atmospheric although only one low quality photograph of its interior seems to have survived, showing a scene with Spanish-style buildings and trees.

The main entrance was via a giant white arch flanked by lanterns and the auditorium gable was set back at an angle above a single-storey row of shops, where the cinema's name was repeated in lettering on the roofline.

Run as…

The Ritz cinema was built for the Scottish Cinema and Variety Theatres circuit, who were a foundational part of what would later become the national ABC cinema chain under the ownership of Glasgow lawyer John Maxwell.

It was designed by William Beresford Inglis, who was both an architect and later cinema/hotel owner. He designed many of his own buildings including the Toledo Cinema in Muirend and the Beresford Hotel in Sauchiehall Street, both of which remain as art deco landmarks converted to flats.

One of his trademark styles was to adopt the "atmospheric" style of cinema design, where the auditorium was built to resemble an exterior piazza or courtyard, surrounded by miniature 3-D plaster buildings under a ceiling painted to resemble a sky, often at night with twinkling star light effects. The Ritz was designed as an atmospheric although only one low quality photograph of its interior seems to have survived, showing a scene with Spanish-style buildings and trees.

The main entrance was via a giant white arch flanked by lanterns and the auditorium gable was set back at an angle above a single-storey row of shops, where the cinema's name was repeated in lettering on the roofline.

Run as an ABC for the entirety of its short life, it was closed in 1960 and demolished a couple of years later for a development of shops and offices. A nearby bar still carries the Ritz name.

Built in 1929-30 for a company registered as Savoy (Cambuslang) Ltd, the backers of which were the same team running the nearby Cambuslang Picture House (later the Empire) which had opened in 1921. These included the house manager of the latter, James Gilroy, and Managing Director James McMenemy, who was a famous Rutherglen-born footballer who played for Celtic, Partick Thistle and a dozen games for Scotland. It was designed primarily as a cinema but with some basic facilities for stage performances, including two dressing rooms and a 26ft x 12ft stage. It was claimed that the motive for a second cinema venture by this team in Cambuslang was perhaps to steal a march on rivals before they did likewise, but to this end, it could only be considered a partial success as ABC opened their Ritz Cinema just along the Main Street on the 12th May 1930. The Savoy eventually opened on the 8th September 1930.

The directors chose the same architect who had designed the Cambuslang Picture House for them, John Fairweather. Fairweather was the house architect for the Green's cinema chain, although this cinema had no link to the Green's. He had designed the Green's Playhouses in Glasgow…

Built in 1929-30 for a company registered as Savoy (Cambuslang) Ltd, the backers of which were the same team running the nearby Cambuslang Picture House (later the Empire) which had opened in 1921. These included the house manager of the latter, James Gilroy, and Managing Director James McMenemy, who was a famous Rutherglen-born footballer who played for Celtic, Partick Thistle and a dozen games for Scotland. It was designed primarily as a cinema but with some basic facilities for stage performances, including two dressing rooms and a 26ft x 12ft stage. It was claimed that the motive for a second cinema venture by this team in Cambuslang was perhaps to steal a march on rivals before they did likewise, but to this end, it could only be considered a partial success as ABC opened their Ritz Cinema just along the Main Street on the 12th May 1930. The Savoy eventually opened on the 8th September 1930.

The directors chose the same architect who had designed the Cambuslang Picture House for them, John Fairweather. Fairweather was the house architect for the Green's cinema chain, although this cinema had no link to the Green's. He had designed the Green's Playhouses in Glasgow (the largest ever in the UK by seating capacity), Dundee, Wishaw and Ayr as well as multiple smaller cinemas such as the Capitol in Ibrox. His trademark style was neo-classical, with massive columns topped by Corinthian capitals along the sidewalls and boxes flanking the proscenium.

The facade of the Savoy has been a landmark of Cambuslang Main Street ever since and was converted to the Vogue bingo hall at some point in the 1960s, although it latterly reverted to the name Savoy. Bingo operations ceased in 2008 and the building was C-listed by Historic Scotland. It was purchased by the Wetherspoons pub chain who lodged plans for a pub conversion but these were shelved and they focused instead on opening a venue in nearby Rutherglen. Inspired by the success of that venue, they revisited the plans and re-submitted an application for the Savoy in 2013. Following refurbishment work, the cinema opened as a pub in January 2015, and was fittingly named The John Fairweather, becoming the only pub we know of to be named after a Scottish cinema architect! It was opened by John's grandson, Iain Fairweather, and the interior contains various objects and information boards on both the architect and the cinema, including a projector retained in the main foyer.

Inside, some changes have been made including the insertion of large windows behind the stage and in the sidewalls, but otherwise the interior remains entirely readable as a cinema. The balcony remains in full view with seating and even dummies representing audience members and a few figures from Hollywood's Golden Age, but is off-limits to the public. Overall, however, the restoration represents a generally respectful re-use of a former cinema building and is now easily accessible for the public to view.