The State cinema

The State cinema on Great Junction Street has seen better days. It opened in 1938 as probably the first modern leisure centre in the Edinburgh area with a 1,650 seat cinema, two billiard halls, a skittle alley and on site shopping all under one roof.

The last film was shown in 1972 the cinema became a Mecca bingo hall, it was later again converted into the Babylon nightclub, which was the city's fourth biggest club when it was opened in 2002. Spectacular glass bridges, towering Sphinx statues and palm trees were all billed as key features in the new club that lasted less than two years.

Today the site is disused with B-listed status that no doubt creates challenges to its redevelopment.