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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:43 pm
by nodrog
Gap74 and I had a final last look round the building tonight (it gets boarded up tomorrow), everywhere from the basement offices to the top of the roof, and several hidden spaces in between, we saw it all.

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Rumours of us clambering through holes in the wall to stand precariously on girders above a suspended ceiling to see the few remaining scraps of 1930s decoration are strongly denied....

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nodrog :)

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:54 pm
by Mori
Ah its gone..after all them years, me and my crowd used to dodge school and head up there..everyone would chip in for one ticket and then open the side emergency door to let the others in, we seen many movies for many of us for the price of one, whenever we get together we often bring the subject of sneaking in to the odeon and its various escape and entry routes best days of our lives. Thank you Odeon Renfield St. :D

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:57 pm
by nodrog
Just a note to say (thankfully) the plans for the redevelopment of the site no longer include the ugly glass extra floor as shown on the artists impression Mori posted above...


nodrog

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:01 am
by crusty_bint
It really is quite sad... end of an era :( Cheers for posting the pics nodrog and for quelling that rumour :wink:

Have to say tho, it's a pity the plans haveto include the ugly side and rear elevations. After all, are they really of any value once the interior is gutted? I think they have a really negative impact on the street and even moreso when West Nile St is redevloped.

cheers,

Crusty

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:04 am
by allyharp
It's gonna look great next to that ugly grey thing beside it. 8O Although I suppose it's only time til that'll end up redeveloped too.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:06 am
by crusty_bint
There are plans afoot :)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:11 am
by gap74
Surely you can't speak of this fine building on the right here...

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Give it a few years and it'll mysteriously succumb to fire like half the buildings in this shot already have...

Gary

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:14 am
by Mori
That used to be the old General Accident insurance company at one time ..previous to that i was told it used to be John Menzies head office.

i been in it a couple of times when it was alive.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:18 am
by nodrog
Mori wrote:That used to be the old General Accident insurance company at one time ..previous to that i was told it used to be John Menzies head office.


Well it wasn't the Menzies head office as that was/is in Edinburgh; tis possible it might have been some sort of glasgow branch office, but having worked for Menzies for several years is the first I've heard of it being there... [although there was a 'John Menzies House' in Glasgow I've yet to track down...]

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:25 am
by Mori
no it wasent their main head office.. like you say it might have been their glasgow branch during the 50's/60's i think then i think they moved to Maxwell road in Pollokshields in the 70's .

http://www.johnmenziesplc.com/history/timeline/1890-1900.html

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:08 am
by McShad
I remember there was alot of fuss and debate about the former GA building.... isnt it laced with Asbestos or something?

If it is, perhaps the council arent daft enough to burn it. Especially with the glasgow blood bank next door

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:41 am
by AlanM
McShad wrote:I remember there was alot of fuss and debate about the former GA building.... isnt it laced with Asbestos or something?

If it is, perhaps the council arent daft enough to burn it. Especially with the glasgow blood bank next door


Black pudding anyone?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 8:08 pm
by YokerBloke
Schiehallion wrote:Image

Didn't realise Humphrey Bogart frequented Glasgow!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:48 pm
by nodrog
Right, the full gallery of interior pics taken during stripping out of the Odeon after closure can be seen here...

http://www.survivingcinemas.org.uk/glas ... stripping/

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:38 pm
by nodrog
...and one year on after the closure, the building is still sitting empty and decaying, as highlighted in today's Evening Times - and also meriting the lead editorial comment as well!

"today - a year after the Odeon cinema closed - the site is still undeveloped and has become a derelict eyesore targeted by graffiti vandals."

Main article:
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/disp ... 28.0.0.php

Editorial:
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/opinion/d ... ilding.php