These stunning photos of lost Edinburgh cinemas hark back to the days when they were known as 'picture palaces'.
Back then, a trip to ‘the pictures' was a decidedly glamorous affair, with many beautiful buildings serving as chapels of the moving image.
The Capital’s Southside district and its surrounding area was packed with cinemas, and despite there being so many, there would be huge queues to get in.
Sadly, now there are none. Here Lisa Sibbald, the author of the book: Edinburgh’s Southside – History, People, Memories, takes us on a tour of the area’s lost film houses.
Take a look through our photo gallery to see 11 of Southside’s lost cinemas – and let us know in the comments section if you were lucky enough to visit any of them when they were still screening movies.
1. Abbey Picture House
Situated on North Richmond Street, the Abbey opened in 1920 in a former synagogue, and closed around 1932. Youngsters called it "the Scabby". Photo: Contributed
2. The Empire Palace Theatre of Varieties
Today we know it as the Festival Theatre, but this spot in Nicolson Street originally housed the Empire Palace Theatre of Varieties. The theatre opened in 1892 and Edinburgh's first cinema show took place here in 1896. Photo: Unknown
3. Silver Cinema House
Located on NIcolson Square, this cinema opened in September 1913 and described itself as "the most elaborately furnished and decorated house in the city". It closed as The Lyric in 1931. Photo: Google
4. Salisbury Picture House
"The Sally" on South Clerk Street opened in December 1925, in what had formerly been the Livingstone Missions Hall. It closed following a fire in 1943. Photo: Alan Ledgerwood