Ritz Cinema
Rodney Street, Canonmills,
Edinburgh,
EH3
Rodney Street, Canonmills,
Edinburgh,
EH3
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Associated British Cinemas Ltd.
Architects: Albert V. Gardner, William Riddell Glen
Nearby Theaters
Located in the Canonmills area, which is to the north of the New Town centre of Edinburgh. The Ritz Cinema was built by Scottish Cinemas and Variety Theatres (a company headed by John Maxwell, founder of Associated British Cinemas-ABC). It opened on 8th September 1929 with Al Jolson in “The Singing Fool”.
It was ‘modernised’ in February 1969 when the stalls area had new seating installed and became a luxury lounge area, the seating in the circle was removed and that area was closed giving a reduced seating capacity of 1,200. ABC closed the Ritz Cinema on 28th November 1981 with Linda Blair in “Exorcist II:The Heretic” and Mel Gibson in “Mad Max”. Applications to convert the building into a bingo hall were refused and it was demolished in 1983.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Here is a 1968 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/3al8ll
Exterior and interior pics here:
View link
During the late 1960s and early 70s I was an assistant manager with ABC. I undertook several relief management stints at the Ritz Edinburgh. Although the stalls had received the “luxury lounge” upgrade so popular at that time, the circle at the Ritz remained open. Indeed, it was usually more popular than the refurbished stalls, especially with young couples. I can also recall a Saturday morning ABC Minors matinee when the youngsters unscrewed the ashtrays from the backs of the seats in the “lounge” a sure sign that we were showing a boring CFF film.
As I lived in nearby Clarence St, visited the Ritz a few times, last thing I saw was ‘Logans Run’ Jenny Agutter in a mini dress yum..