A former Edinburgh cinema that closed 20 years ago could be given a new lease of life as locals spotted fencing going up and workers entering the vacant building.
For generations, the Odeon cinema on Clerk Street was one of the capital's best-loved movie theatres and gig venues.
In recent years, however, the former movie palace has been a shadow of its former self with attempts to give the building, which closed as a cinema in 2003, a new lease of life failing to bear fruit.
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But that could all be set to change after locals spotted workers coming in and out of the moth-balled building this week.
Nightclub mogul Stefan King's G1 Group (now Scotsman Group) purchased the site in 2015 and received permission 12 months later from the City of Edinburgh Council to transform the building into a film theatre, café and bar – reminiscent of the Grosvenor Cinema in Glasgow’s Ashton Lane.
Since then there has been little activity at the old Odeon, but work finally looks to be gathering pace.
Fencing has been erected around the façade of the old cinema, with notices attached to lampposts in the vicinity explaining that parking restrictions will apply to the west side of Clerk Street "to facilitate safe access for nearby building works" until July 30, 2023.
Edinburgh Live spoke with commercial and residential construction contractors P&M Sinclair, who told us that they were in the process of erecting a large steel-framed structure in the interior of the building, but were unable to clarify whether it was in relation to the Scotsman Group's 2016 entertainment complex plan.
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Former Southside Community Centre worker, Keith Smith, took a photograph of the activity at the old cinema on Thursday. Intrigued, Keith posted the photo to the Edinburgh Southside group on Facebook to find out if anyone knew what was going on.
It's understood that work has indeed commenced on restoring the Clerk Street landmark to its former glory. Keith Smith hopes the rumours are true.
He told us: "I think the Odeon is one of these iconic buildings along the Clerk Street corridor, and it's been noticed that it's been missing for so long. It's now a sad and derelict bit of the street and its restoration would bring great vibrancy to the area and further regenerate the Southside.
"Ideally, it would be nice for it to be returned to a cinema. I'm not sure if that's a feasibility in this day and age, but there's something attractive about that.
"Right on the doorstep, there's a community and lots of students in the area who would use these facilities. It would be great to see the old Odeon rehabilitated."
Edinburgh Live has approach Scotsman Group for clarification regarding the works on the former Odeon.
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