The old State Cinema, Leith

As some of you may know, I love art deco buildings ... so here is the old state Cinema in Great Junction Street in Leith.

The State cinema in Leith opened in 1938, part of a rather forward-thinking multi-use leisure development that also incorporated several shops, two billiard halls, and a skittle alley. The billiards and skittles were in the two floors above the entrance foyer, with the main cinema filling the rear part of the building.

The cinema closed to films in 1972, and became a Mecca bingo hall, and was later again converted at great expense into the Babylon nightclub. This has since closed, and the cinema part of the building has since been lying empty. A snooker hall still uses the upper floors in the foyer block.

The building was B-listed by Historic Scotland in 1995.

By the way, this appears to be my 400th blip!