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Summary

Description

Mid 19th century. Well-detailed 3-storey and attic, 7-bay, terraced Renaissance former hotel with alternate consoled triangular and segmental pediments to 1st floor windows, centre linked wallhead stack, and 2 early shop fronts and modern entrance to bingo hall probably altered by Gordon and Scrymegour of Dundee, 1930 (see Notes). Painted ashlar with quoin strips and raised margins. Ground floor cornice over shops, 1st and 2nd floor cill courses, 1st floor over narrow panelled aprons and 2nd floor bracketted, dentilled eaves cornice.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: broad bingo hall entrance to left at ground with closely aligned pair of 2-bay shops at right, regular fenestration to 1st and 2nd floors, and centre stack flanked by set-back canted dormer windows.

4-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks with some cans.

Statement of Special Interest

The Royal Hotel is an important integral part of Arbroath's High Street. Its Classical detailing is of high quality and it has further interest as it incorporates an early cinema, now a bingo hall. The cinema was opened in 1930 and converted for bingo during the 1970s, the cinema originally seated 1036, and is located to the rear of the Royal Hotel. It is accessed through the current (2008) bingo hall entrance. The cinema conversion was almost certainly carried out by Gordon and Scrymegour of 7 Ward Road, Dundee. A plan by Gordon and Scrymegour and dated 19 August 1930 has similarities in layout, particularly with the long foyer, to the plan of The New Picture House at St Andrews in Fife, by Gillespie and Scott, 1931.

List description including References and Notes updated as part of Cinemas Thematic Study 2007-08.

B-Group with other items on High Street and items 55A, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60.

References

Bibliography

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