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Moray

Moray Playhouse: Memories, tales of hauntings and pictures of 1930s Elgin cinema still going strong today

Locals have plenty of memories from the Moray Playhouse, which retains much of its historic features.
Sean McAngus
Early picture of Moray Playhouse.
Early picture of Moray Playhouse.

Nearly 100 years ago, the Moray Playhouse first opened its doors to bring the big screen to Elgin.

The cinema was designed by UK’s first Labour Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald’s architect son Alistair.

Elgin Picture House Limited’s Dr Thomas W. H. Alexander chose him for the job to design the new cinema. It was built on gardens behind the City Hotel on the High Street.

An article on the moray playhouse in elgin
Newspaper clipping about the opening of the playhouse.

The long entrance hall below the hall was filled with portraits of popular film personalities.

In the early days a ground floor cafe restaurant was also there for those who flocked to the movies.

An article on the moray playhouse in elgin
Newspaper revealed the cinema cost £15,000 to build.

The auditorium once sat 1,522 people in stalls and balcony.

In 1986, the entrance moved from the High Street to the side of the screen.

At the same time the main auditorium was divided with what was the front stall becoming screen 1 with 330 seats.

Meanwhile, the former balcony became a smaller second screen with 220 seats and is still served by the original projection room.

Today, about 92 years on, the Moray Playhouse still remains open with three screens.

Moray Playhouse Cinema
Moray Playhouse. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

What are your Moray Playhouse memories?

Early picture of Moray Playhouse.
Early picture of Moray Playhouse.

Sometimes, it is nice to reminisce.

On social media, we asked you for pictures and memories from the Moray Playhouse.

Locals certainly recall it well over the years.

Ian McLean, manager of the Moray Playhouse
Ian McLean was for many years the general manager of the Moray Playhouse and picture house.

Robert Innes said: “I used to work in the pictures as a projectionist with huge spools of film.”

Evelyn M Grant added: “My late brother Jimmy Simpson was a projectionist there in the 1960s.

“Ian McLean was the manager then and his wife Elizabeth ran the cafe.”

The playhouse cafe pictured.
The playhouse cafe pictured.

A former general manager of Caledonian Associated Cinemas (CAC) Alex Braid provided us with some pictures which give us a glimpse into the venue when it first opened.

Inverness firm CAC owned Moray Playhouse for many years. The firm grew to be the biggest cinema chain in Scotland and operated more than 50 cinemas at its peak.

Some of the photos were sent to him by David Low, a former Picture House projectionist who died recently.

The auditorium.
The auditorium.

He recalled: “In around 1983 we were refreshing the front of the cinema with a repaint and new signs on the canopy.

“It was still on the High Street and it occurred to me suddenly that the Playhouse not only served Elgin with film entertainment but, in fact, the whole of Moray.

The moment Moray Playhouse was born

“In what I still regard as a moment of inspiration, I instructed the contractor to produce the new sign with the name Moray Playhouse. And this it still remains.”

Stage show taking place at Moray Playhouse.
Stage show taking place at Moray Playhouse.

He also remembered the cinema successfully making alterations and fitting the new drapes on the stage.

It came as the gold satin festoon curtain had be taken down in the 80s as it was no longer safe.

Current councillor James Allan pictured with staff
Current councillor James Allan used to be a leisure manager with CAC Leisure.

Spooky sightings in cinema

Moray Playhouse pictured.

In 2015, bosses considered hiring paranormal activity professionals to try and prove the cinema is haunted.

After reports of cinema staff and construction workers feeling they were being watched and hearing voices where no-one had been.

It took place during upgrades to create the third screen.

Martin Thomson was the manager of the Moray Playhouse Cinema, Elgin, in the auditorium of the cinema at the time of the spooky sightings.

At the time, Moray Playhouse manager Martin Thomson recalled seeing someone entering the toilets but never coming back out.

Meanwhile, early morning cleaners have frequently spoken of being “a bit freaked out” by the sense of someone walking behind them.

Another bizarre incident was a handbag mysteriously flying from a counter top with no-one near it.

‘Stressful job at times, but worth it’

Liam McBey used to be an assistant manager at Moray Playhouse.

He said: ” It was a really stressful job at times but I thought it was worth it as I really appreciated the history of the place.

“Up at the top of the building or in a storage cupboard I’d find old film reel boxes or the old ice cream trays that were used in the intervals years ago.

“I always thought it’d be good to put that kind of stuff on display to show customers how long the Moray Playhouse had been going.”

Read more nostalgia articles from Elgin

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