A Cinema’s Second Act: From Silver Screen to Social Homes
If you stroll down Hamilton’s main street, you can’t miss the old Vogue Cinema—a slice of 1930s glamour with its stylish Art Deco front. For decades this place was buzzing with filmgoers, but the screens have long gone dark. Now, though, the building is set for an unexpected starring role: affordable housing. South Lanarkshire Council sealed the deal, handing over the defunct cinema to Clyde Valley Housing Association for £1. Not a typo—just one pound. Wild, right?
The move wasn’t just a snap decision. The council had been sweating over the building’s soaring repair bill, which had ballooned to around £300,000. Add annual maintenance costs of about £5,000 and you get why the site was more burden than treasure for local officials. The structure itself, a Grade B-listed gem dreamed up by architect James McKissack, needed a lifeline. Then the Scottish Government chipped in, offering a hefty £440,000 through its Town Centre Capital Fund to help bridge financial gaps and get things moving. As Councillor Josh Wilson put it, this deal is a chance to tackle the urgent need for affordable housing and inject some life back into Hamilton’s town centre.
Making Heritage Work: A Fresh Start for the Art Deco Façade
No one wanted to see the building just flattened. The fact that the original 1920s Art Deco frontage will stay put is a relief to anyone who cares about Hamilton’s history. The plan will see the iconic entrance transformed into a secure access point for 23 new flats—one- and two-bedroom homes designed for social rent. Imagine stepping past that classic old sign not to catch a matinee, but as your front door. It’s a smart way of keeping heritage alive while actually solving real-life problems facing the community.
The development is ambitious. The project will keep the building’s famous façade, but everything behind it is getting a total overhaul. We’re talking about a five-storey block rising where movie audiences once sat, giving dozens of people a chance at a home they can afford—right in the middle of town. The new homes aim to bring more foot traffic and activity back to the area, reversing a slow decline. If all paperwork and permissions line up, crews are expected to break ground in the summer of 2021, with keys ready to hand over by late 2022.
This isn’t just about bricks and mortar or saving a slice of the past. Hamilton’s former Vogue Cinema is about to show how even the most unexpected buildings can get a second chance and make a real Vogue Cinema moment all over again—this time for families who need it.
