Designating the former Mecca Cinema at 124 Balmore Road, Glasgow

From 7 March to 15 May 2024, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) sought views on a proposal to list the former Mecca Cinema at 124 Balmore Road in Glasgow.

The Mecca Cinema, opened in 1933, is a rare survival of a 1930s cinema which retains its architecturally distinctive character to the main elevation. It is a notable example of the work of architect James McKissack, a foremost Scottish cinema designer of the earlier 20^th century. The cinema is an architectural landmark in the streetscape and its wider setting in Possilpark. It is of social historical significance for the association with town planning, leisure, and industry in the early 20^th century.

Through Citizen Space, we invited members of the public to tell us if they agreed with the proposed designation and if they had further comments to make.

We consulted directly with Glasgow City Council as the planning authority and the owner of the site.

Our selection guidance for designation and the policies we work to are published in the Designations Policy and Selection Guidance document.  

We received a total of 26 responses to consultation, including one response from the owner, one response from an interested party and 24 responses to our online survey.

The overwhelming majority of people who responded expressed strong support for the designation. No one raised issues that brought into question the cultural significance of the site for designation. Many of the comments noted that the building was a significant architectural landmark in the local area. Some comments noted the perceived impact listing may have on the future use of the building.

We have reported in more detail on the consultation in our Report of Handling, which can be downloaded from the Heritage Portal or from the bottom of this page.

Comments from the online survey are published in full (where we have appropriate permissions). The report can be downloaded from the bottom of this page.

After considering the comments received during consultation, we have

• Listed the front and side part of the building at category C: Listed Building Record (Ref: LB52634)

We have published a Report of Handling for this case on the Heritage Portal. This can also be downloaded from the bottom of this page.

PDF Files:

• Report of Handling – Decision
• Online Consultation Survey Report – Mecca Cinema