Roxy Cinema

In Stewarton, to the north of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, the Picture House opened around 1914. It is not listed in that year’s Kinematograph Year Book, but it is in the 1927 edition, by which time it was owned by Mrs Jack, of Shawlands, Glasgow.

By 1940 ownership had transferred to Stewarton Picture House Ltd., Girvan. Occasional variety was advertised, utilising the 15ft deep stage and two dressing rooms. The proscenium was 22ft wide and there were 600 seats.

In a World War II reminiscence for the BBC, ‘Stewarton in Wartime’, Alastair Barclay recalled “Stewarton Picture House was a thriving establishment and was packed every night when Lainshaw camp [set up to accommodate the many servicemen moved to the area] was busy. On the screen Mickey Rooney was the number one box office attraction; Bing, Bob and Dorothy were travelling roads of the world, and John Wayne and Errol Flynn were winning the war on all fronts. Pin-up girl Betty Grable was the allied forces' favourite, Abbott and Costello were all the rage, a youthful Sinatra appeared on the scene and the British film industry had a new lease of life.”

By 1953 the cinema had been acquired by Lothians Star Theatres Ltd., of Bathgate, and the seating capacity had been reduced to 484.

By 1963 it had been renamed the Roxy Cinema and was still operating in 1966. It is not known when the cinema closed.

The pop group Slade played a gig at the “Roxy Cinema, Stewarton” in March 1969, but it is not known whether film shows were continuing then, or whether the former cinema had already been transformed into the social club it is today.

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