Glasgow City Council issues 'building preservation notice' on former cinema building halting demolition

Glasgow City Council planning department yesterday (15 January) issued a Building Preservation Notice on the Balmore Road building which used to be home to the Vogue Cinema in Possilpark.

This notice makes any further alterations or demolition works illegal for a further 6 months until Historic Environment Scotland (HES) reconsider the listing.

It is understood that since this action has been taken to protect the building, HES will now designate the building with the C listing it has found the building worthy of.

The building originally opened as the Mecca in August 1933, with it being designed by James McKissack who is best known as the architect of Glasgow's first purpose-built 'art-house' cinema - the Cosmo which is now known as the GFT on Rose Street.

During its heyday, the cinema could seat up to 1,620 people with the venue being built to accommodate one of Glasgow's municipal housing estates being developed in the north of the city. In January 1950 it was sold to the Singleton circuit, and renamed Vogue which it traded as until April 1968 when the venue became a bingo hall.

The auditorium space has not been used for over 25 years with various retail spaces occupying the ground floor of the building.

Demolition work had begun on the building but will now halt for at least six months.