Welcome to Clackmannanshire.Scot. The site aims to celebrate the county of Clackmannanshire via its towns, villages and community and to shine a light on Clackmannanshire's history and attractions for tourists and residents alike - you may be surprised by what's on offer.
This time we are looking at an historic Alva building, the Hillfoot Picture House :
With cinema still in it's heyday, in 1921 a brand new cinema opened on Stirling Street, Alva.
Hillfoot Picture House - note the curved roofline and small shop on the right. (NLS pic)
The Hillfoot Picture House was a single screen cinema that was owned and managed by Vess J. Hudson from at least 1931. He kept notebooks on the success of the many films screened there. His notebooks were kept up from 1936 until 1961, and these are kept at the National Library of Scotland.
This pic looks to be from late 1970's / early 1980's. - note shop entrance removed, pent gable, and guttering removed.
The cinema continued until 1972, where it was converted into a bingo hall, which closed its doors in 1982.
a later picture.
Hillfoot Picture House cinema seating (NLS pic)
Due to it's flat seating area, it was possible for it to be converted for a different use, and eventually Macfarlane Meat Products Ltd moved in and converted the building for their needs.
References:
cinematreasures.org
manuscripts.nls.uk
Scottish Screen Archive at the National Library of Scotland
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