New Coliseum Cinema
125 West Fountainbridge,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9QG
125 West Fountainbridge,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9QG
1 person
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In the city centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Coliseum Cinema opened on 14th December 1911 with 1,800 seats. A conversion of a roller skating rink, it was part of a cine-ballroom complex that also incorporated the Palais de Dance. It was owned by Coliseum (Edinburgh) Company Ltd.
It was closed for refurbishment to the plans of architect Robert Cromie in 1919 and the Palais de Dance ballroom was reopened on 31st December 1920. By 1931, according to the Kinematograph Year Book, ownership had transferred to Palais de Dance and Cinemas (Edinburgh 1923) Ltd. The cinema was now known as the New Coliseum Cinema. A Western Electric(WE) sound had been installed.
No seating capacity was provided in that edition. However, the 1937 edition lists 1,200 seats, so the reduction from the original 1,800 capacity could have been part of the 1919 refurbishment.
Despite this, the New Coliseum Cinema closed at the end of 1942. It was still listed as (Closed) in the 1947 & 1948 editions of Kine Year Books.
When I visited, in March 2006, the building was home to Mecca bingo. However, that company had plans to vacate the building, as it was due to be demolished as part of a redevelopment scheme. Mecca bingo did move out, but in June 2015, according to Google Street View, the building was still standing, albeit boarded up and looking very sorry for itself. It was demolished in 2016.
Contributed by
David Simpson
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
With regards to the last comment above, if you check Google street view this cinema has now been demolished. If you move to the sunny street view it’s still standing but move to the rainy street view it’s gone.
Robert Cromie designed the new complex which included a new ballroom attached to the Coliseum Picture house which was also completely refurbished, both opening on Hogmanay 1920 The new ‘Palais de Danse’ and modernised Coliseum re-named the ‘New Coliseum’. Cromie used his experience whilst working as an Architect on the refurbishment of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, to install a hand cranked revolving stage that allowed dancing to continue as the revolve slowly turned with the replacement band playing as they appeared. It is interesting that in the obituary to Robert Cromie published on his death 12th January 1971. The ‘Palais de Danse’ Edinburgh is mentioned.
Ron Knee