Portobello residents rally to save historic George Cinema building from demolition

Edinburgh councillors are weighing up whether to take formal action against the owners of a crumbling former cinema in Portobello.

The George Cinema, an Art Deco, C-listed building, last screened films in 1974 and later operated as a bingo hall before closing almost ten years ago. Its current owners want to demolish it and build flats, but campaigners believe the venue still has a future.

Community group Friends of the George has urged Edinburgh City Council to issue a defective building notice, forcing repairs to make the site wind and watertight.

Officials advised against the move, but councillors this week voted to explore the option further.

Mike Griffiths from the group insists repairs are manageable. He told STV News: “We have got designs in place for a three-screen cinema that will also have some education facilities and some kind of food and beverage outlet as well.

“It’s basically to do with the roof at the front of the building, which is flat and has obviously collected water and deteriorated. We are basically asking for some fairly simple repairs to be made, so the building can be wind and watertight going forward.”

However, owners Buckley Building UK say the building is beyond saving. On their website, they describe the former cinema as “a structurally unsafe and asbestos-impregnated building” and argue there is no viable way to restore it.

Despite this, locals remain determined. Friends of the George member Giselle Dye said: “I’ve lived here for 20 years, and until nine years ago, it was still a thriving bingo hall. People were using it a couple of times a week, so it’s just really sad seeing it in this state now.

“I really do hope that the community will have a chance to show what could be possible and that this building might have a future. I would love to see it restored, I would love to see it open as a cinema.

“I know hundreds of communities would as well.”

Any demolition would require approval due to the cinema’s listed status.