Buildings of Glasgow: 5 former Glasgow cinema buildings that need to be saved in 2025

By Declan McConville

Digital Reporter

Published 29th May 2025, 16:25 GMT

These are the former Glasgow cinema buildings that need to be saved.

After news that the bottom retail unit of the old Odeon cinema building on Renfield Street could be turned into a new coffee shop, we wanted to take a look at the other former cinemas in Glasgow which currently lay vacant.

Glasgow was once known as ‘cinema city’ with it able to boast more screens per head than any other city in the world.

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Here are the former Glasgow cinema buildings we wanted to be saved this year.

The White Elephant Cinema opened in Shawlands in 1927 having been designed by architect H Barnes. The upstairs of the building have been vacant for some time now.

1. The White Elephant Cinema

The White Elephant Cinema opened in Shawlands in 1927 having been designed by architect H Barnes. The upstairs of the building have been vacant for some time now. | Glasgow City Heritage Trust

The Lyceum is still a prominent building on Govan Road with it being built on the site of the earlier Lyceum Theatre. As a cinema, it opened in December 1938. The building was split into a bingo and 480-seat cinema until the cinema portion closed in 1981. Plans were announced last year to restore the building, however its future remains uncertain.

2. The Lyceum

The Lyceum is still a prominent building on Govan Road with it being built on the site of the earlier Lyceum Theatre. As a cinema, it opened in December 1938. The building was split into a bingo and 480-seat cinema until the cinema portion closed in 1981. Plans were announced last year to restore the building, however its future remains uncertain. | Glasgow City Archives

Shawlands Waverley opened in December 1922 and was designed by Watson, Salmond & Gray. A restoration bid was launched earlier this year but the building remains derelict.

3. Waverley / ABC

Shawlands Waverley opened in December 1922 and was designed by Watson, Salmond & Gray. A restoration bid was launched earlier this year but the building remains derelict. | Google Maps

A Building Preservation Notice was issued to the Balmore Road building which used to be home to the Vogue Cinema in Possilpark. 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. The future of the building is uncertain.

4. Vogue Cinema

A Building Preservation Notice was issued to the Balmore Road building which used to be home to the Vogue Cinema in Possilpark. 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. The future of the building is uncertain. | Cinema Treasures

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