The Picture House

Jamie McGrigor, Highlands & Islands Conservative MSP, recently tabled a Parliamentary motion highlighting the importance of Campbeltown’s cinema and the continuing fundraising efforts being mounted to secure its future.

In a press release, Mr McGrigor said,

"The Picture House in Campbeltown is a fantastic community facility that offers family entertainment six days a week, 52 weeks a year in wonderful setting. I would encourage local residents and visitors to Kintyre to make use of it."

"Campbeltown Community Business Ltd, its chairman Jane Mayo and her volunteer Board of Directors are to be commended for their excellent work in running the cinema and for seeking to enhance customer facilities through a new enlarged kiosk and the introduction of digital and 3-D projection. They have already secured some funding towards the anticipated Ł2.5 million cost of these projects and I wish them every success in winning additional significant support, some of which I hope might come from local and national businesses who recognise the Picture House’s importance."

Below is a copy of the motion tabled by Mr McGrigor in the Scottish Parliament and which has already attracted cross party support from MSPs.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT MOTION

Date of Lodging: 25 April 2012

Short Title The Picture House, Campbeltown
S4M-02699 # Jamie McGrigor () (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party):
That the Parliament believes that the Picture House in Campbeltown (www.weepictures.co.uk) is a much-loved and very valuable community asset for the residents of Campbeltown and Kintyre; understands that this cinema has been run by volunteers through Campbeltown Community Business Ltd for 25 years and operates six days a week, 52 weeks a year; is further aware of the architectural importance of the Picture House, which is one of the very few surviving pre-First World War cinemas in the UK and a category A listed building designed by Albert V Gardner in 1912-13 with a unique Glasgow School Art Nouveau exterior and Art Deco interior also completed by Albert V Gardner in 1935; is aware of Campbeltown Community Business Ltd’s continuing efforts to obtain funding from various sources to secure the future of the cinema and allow it to move forward with its ambitious plans to both conserve the interior and introduce digital and 3-D projection facilities; wishes it every success in attracting support, and considers that the securing of such funding is vital to the future of the cinema and would be a very fitting way to mark the centenary of the cinema in 2013.