Edinburgh campaign group hoping to save George Cinema in Portobello appoint ‘expert team’

The Friends of The George group (FoTG), launched in 2016 to save the former George Cinema in Portobello from demolition. The group, made up of locals, arts workers, architects and designers, plan to restore the ‘iconic community landmark’ into a community cinema.

Now, award-winning architecture firm Loader Monteith has been appointed to lead a design team undertaking detailed feasibility work on the community cinema project which will include an in-depth commercial and operational assessment by independent cinema consultants, Mustard Studios. Leading cinema architect, Stefanie Fischer, will also join the team as a subconsultant. The project is funded by the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Scottish Land Fund and benefactor Victoria Schwab. 

The George Cinema on Bath Street, Edinburgh in 1971. Photo: Henry Wheelan and Kevin Smith Wheelen courtesy of The City of Edinburgh Council - Libraries | Henry Wheelan and Kevin Smith Wheelen courtesy of The City of Edinburgh Council - Libraries

Mike Griffiths, FoTG chair said the new design team have a reputation for ‘exciting contemporary architectural design’ and will ‘bring extensive expertise and experience to the project’.

Mr Griffiths said: “We are delighted to be able to appoint such an expert team of professionals to develop and refine our proposals as we continue to point the way towards a positive future for The George not only in the heart of the community of Portobello, but more broadly, to play a role in the cinema sector in Scotland.”

The C-listed building on Bath Street first opened its doors as the County Cinema on March 30, 1939. It was designed by esteemed cinema architect T Bowhill Gibson, who was responsible for a number of other art deco buildings around Edinburgh, including Morningside’s Dominion Cinema.

The cinema was renamed The George Cinema in 1954 after it was taken over by the George Palmer circuit and would later close in June 1974 when it was transformed into a bingo hall. 

Architecture firm Loader Monteith has been appointed to lead a design team on behalf of the Friends of the George group. Photo: Michael Davidson & Chris Boyd | Michael Davidson & Chris Boyd

Iain King, specialist conservation architect and director at Loader Monteith said: "We are pleased to have been selected as the lead architects, alongside our expert team of consultants, to support the Friends of The George in developing the proposal for the George Cinema.

“Despite the building currently being on the Buildings at Risk Register, it benefits from strong community support and the dedication of the Friends of The George, a group committed to preserving this Art Deco gem and restoring it as a sustainable, independent cinema. We look forward to collaborating with them on this important project."

Last year FoTG attempted to buy the Portobello landmark but their offer was rejected by house builders Buckley Building UK Ltd - who bought the site in 2016 shortly after the bingo hall closed.

Plans to partially demolish the art deco building and develop the site into flats were submitted in recent years but were rejected by the council on two occasions.

Developers were also unsuccessful in their application to remove the building’s listed status, with Historic Environment Scotland ruling the 1930s building was a rare example of an ‘Art Deco/Moderne style cinema’, is of ‘social historical significance’ and a ‘prominent feature in the streetscape and its setting in Portobello.’