This blog is no longer being updated; I've moved things over to a Wordpress blog, which you can find at blog.gbarr.info

I intend to try to update that a bit more often too... !

See you there?

Coliseum Cinema Past Present special...

Picture courtesy of the Scottish Screen Archive at the National Library of Scotland

Picture Courtesy of Chris Doak

Picture courtesy of Steven Parkes

The site has since been completely cleared, and is sitting empty.

More info on the history of the building here:

http://www.scottishcinemas.org.uk/glasgow/coliseum/index.html

Originally published at Hidden Glasgow Forums here:
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8810&p=181042...

We had a final last look round the building tonight (it gets boarded up tomorrow), everywhere from the basement offices to the top of the roof, and several hidden spaces in between, we saw it all.

Rumours of us clambering through holes in the wall to stand precariously on girders above a suspended ceiling to see the few remaining scraps of 1930s decoration are strongly denied....

The full gallery of interior pics taken during stripping out of the Odeon after closure can be seen here...
http://www.scottishcinemas.org.uk/glasgow/odeon/stripping/

Originally published on Hidden Glasgow Forums at:
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3246&start=15

Menzies House, 1957 (later General Accident House).

Red sandstone office block to the S by Brand and Lithgow, c.1915 (later extended with extra floors); the original Glasgow warehouse for John Menzies.

2009
Originally published on Hidden Glasgow Forums at:
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5736&p=175572#p175572

There is still one remaining original lecture theatre in the building now - it has been abandoned for about 10 years as the rake is so steep it contravenes health & safety requirements! I do plan to try to get access there at some point in the near future...

[From 2008]:

So, only 4 years later, I've finally been in for a look at the last original lecture theatre in chemistry. It dates from the early 1950s, when that part of the building was completed, so is newer than the one shown earlier in this thread, but was kitted out with similar seating.

It has been out of use since the early 1990s, as it's considered too steep to be safe these days, unfortunately. It also features a sink and mini-fume hood for doing reaction demonstrations during lectures, a rather nice clock, and quite a dramatic ceiling, the centre panels of which were once glazed to let light in.

Full gallery is here:
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/chem_lt/inorganic/index.html

The lecture theatre was torn out to be converted into lab space; however parts of the ceiling - and the clock- remain.

Pics of the replacement and refurbishment here: 

http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/gallery.php?id=New%20Laboratory%20Space%20Co...

Originally published on Hidden Glasgow Forums at:
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=570&p=150001#...

BB Cinerama / Odeon Eglinton Toll

http://www.scottishcinemas.org.uk/glasgow/bbcinerama.html
Opened 1922; closed 1981.

Above the door was this rather nice carved crest and globe:

Completely demolished in 1986.
July 2007: the site is being cleared and excavated once again to put up new flats.
Look what turned up!

[Many thanks to Rod Alexander for the photos!]

Originally published on Hidden Glasgow's Forums:
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3220&p=128252...

Couple of cinema past-presents...
The Blythswood, Maryhill Road / Trossachs Street1980

2007

The Seamore, Maryhill Road / North Woodside Road1957

2007

Originally published on the Hidden Glasgow Forums at

http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=681&p=109215...

Thanks to 'dimairt' and his suggestion I have a look at the 1979 Jimmy Boyle film 'A Sense of Freedom' for stuff filmed around my area, I present a special themed Past Present...

First up, top of Napiershall Street, c.1974 and now ('then' pic courtesy of David Warrilow):

Now, some 'then' shots screencapped from the 1979 film 'A Sense of Freedom':
Looking along Henderson St:

Looking down Napiershall St; Henderson St on right:

Shops on Napiershall St:

Tenement stairs on Napiershall St (:

Towards Maryhill Rd & community centre:

Community hall on Maryhill Rd with older doors, made up to look like a cinema:

Shops under community hall on Maryhill Rd:

Originally published on the Hidden Glasgow Forums here:
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=681&p=110609...

Asbestos: Down with that sort of thing!

Just for reference, the new website header image above is taken from the following original image, as found in the cache of original paperwork we discovered in the former Broadway Cinema in Prestwick , and now safely deposited with the Scottish Screen Archive at the National Library of Scotland.