ABC's Edinburgh flagship opened 1938 as the Regal. A description of the
cinema not long after opening was featured in Ideal Kinema in April
1939:
ABC's Edinburgh Regal Exterior Designed to Achieve Harmony with Surrounding Buildings Interior Maintains The Unpretentious Note
ABC's recently opened Edinburgh picture house, the Regal, preserves in
its grey stone exterior the character which makes up the charm of the
Northern city. Above its entrance hall height its appearance is that of
an office building, its window spaces suggesting the commerical rather
than the entertainment type of building.
Black marble used for the
street level with doors set on the corner where the streets meet and a
canopy extending well over the whole entrance area. A name sign is set
on the canopy itself.
The
spacious interior is unpretentious, a severity of treatment being
generally noticeable except at the proscenium end, where the side walls
attract attention. A delicately executed panel is a feature of this
decoration and beyond this a louvred space, divided by horizontal
bands, is flanked by smaller grille features.
Curtains give a rich appearance, the outer tabs bearing an appliqued design in various coloured satins and slightly festooned.
Archive interior images above…
ABC's Edinburgh flagship opened 1938 as the Regal. A description of the
cinema not long after opening was featured in Ideal Kinema in April
1939:
ABC's Edinburgh Regal Exterior Designed to Achieve Harmony with Surrounding Buildings Interior Maintains The Unpretentious Note
ABC's recently opened Edinburgh picture house, the Regal, preserves in
its grey stone exterior the character which makes up the charm of the
Northern city. Above its entrance hall height its appearance is that of
an office building, its window spaces suggesting the commerical rather
than the entertainment type of building.
Black marble used for the
street level with doors set on the corner where the streets meet and a
canopy extending well over the whole entrance area. A name sign is set
on the canopy itself.
The
spacious interior is unpretentious, a severity of treatment being
generally noticeable except at the proscenium end, where the side walls
attract attention. A delicately executed panel is a feature of this
decoration and beyond this a louvred space, divided by horizontal
bands, is flanked by smaller grille features.
Curtains give a rich appearance, the outer tabs bearing an appliqued design in various coloured satins and slightly festooned.
Archive interior images above courtesy of Dusashenka .
The
screen borders and curtains are also festooned and the wing curtains
plain gathered. Hall and Dixon, Ltd., was responsible for these and for
the general house curtains in various materials. Carpets and floor
coverings were also laid by Hall and Dixon.
Ross projectors are
installed with Western Electric Mirrophonic, and a Hewittic twin-bulb
rectifier with an output of 150 amps at 100 volts DC suplies the arc.
A chloride battery of 48 sealed-in cells operated on a 100-volt floating battering system supplies emergency lighting.
The
Regal was tripled and renamed the ABC Film Centre in 1969. Later the
Cannon Film Centre. Closed in 2000, with auditorium entirely
demolished. Main picture above courtesy of Harry Rigby, as is
this picture taken of the exterior when an ABC.
Photos of the projection rooms when this was the ABC / Cannon in the 1990s are here , courtesy of Andy Simmonds.
Exterior on closing night
Photo: Kenny Duncan
Projection on closing night
Photo: Kenny Duncan
Screen 2
Photo: Darren Manson
Screen 3
Photo: Darren Manson
Now rebuilt behind the retained facade as an office development, it
incorporates a 5-screen Odeon miniplex in the basement.
This opened late 2003 (the opening was delayed due to construction
problems - possibly not unconnected with the fact the site used to be a
canal basin, and the ABC basement was always prone to flooding...).
The older (facade) part of the building is listed, Category
B .
Official Odeon website at http://www.odeon.co.uk/
ABC (Regal) Film Centre
Cinema 1 (35mm & 70mm) From 1956 onwards Philips DP70’s
(35/70mm Projectors) then Philips DP75 (35/70mm Projector) with Philips
Non Rewind system. Philips and Dolby SR
Cinema 2, (35mm & 70mm) Philips DP75 Philips Non Rewind system. Dolby SR
Cinema 3, (35mm only) Philips FP20. Philips Non Rewind system. Dolby Stereo
Odeon Miniplex
35mm only
Cinemas 1-4 Cinemeccanica Victoria 5 with Christie Non Rewind system
