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Winter Gardens

2337

Standing proudly in the middle of Rothesay’s immaculately maintained waterfront lawns, the Winter Gardens started life as an open air bandstand, and, indeed, the stage area dates from this time. Later, in 1924, Walter McFarlane’s Saracen Foundry produced the attractive circular hall in cast iron which enclosed the seating area. The building has a more angular sister at Ryde on the Isle of Wight. It is an elegant design with Art Nouveau details, corner towers and a wide, curving expanse of windows overlooking the bay. Its broad, gently domed roof is supported by an ingenious system of exposed curving iron beams, which are functional, yet elegant. The original pay box is preserved inside and the building has been successfully rescued after years of dereliction to act as the focus for Rothesay’s consequently improved waterfront.

The Winter Gardens now contains the ‘Isle of Bute Discovery Centre’ - a tourist information and visitor centre - plus a cinema and restaurant.

Built / Converted
1895
Dates of use
  • 1895 - 1923: open-air; 1924-1971 enclosed; 1987 continuing
Current state
Extant
Current use
Converted to other use (Information centre, cinema and restaurant)
Address
Esplanade Gardens/Victoria Street, Rothesay, Argyll & Bute, PA20 0AH, Scotland
Website-
Further details
Other names
Isle of Bute Discovery Centre
Events
  • 1895 Design/Construction:
    Alex Stephen with Walter MacFarlane & Co (ironfounder)
    - Architect
  • 1895 - 1923 Use: open-air; 1924-1971 enclosed; 1987 continuing
  • 1911 Owner/Management: Fyfe & Fyfe, lessees
  • 1924 Alteration: enclosure created
    Stephen and MacFarlane’s
    - Architect
Capacities
  • Capacity
    Original
    Description
    1100
Listings
  • Listing
    A
    Comment
    12.4.1978
Stage type
-
Building dimensions: -
Stage dimensions: -
Proscenium width: -
Height to grid: -
Inside proscenium: -
Orchestra pit: -