Photograph of the Interior of the Palais De Danse

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

52377

Title

Photograph of the interior of the Palais de Danse dance hall

Description

One framed black and white photograph of the interior of the Palais de Danse Dance Hall taken from above the stage showing the large dance floor and oblong table for visitors to sit at. Around the sides of the room is a balcony for a second floor and in the ceiling hang numerous chandeliers. There is also a cage filled with balloons ready to be dropped over the dance floor. Within a chrome finished frame.

Accession number

TIN1551

Copyright

The City of Edinburgh Council Museums & Galleries

The Palais de Danse building began life on 26 November 1909 opening as The Grand Skating Rink " the longest roller skating rink in Edinburgh. Skating rinks were all the rage at this time. It was built on the site of the Hopetoun Iron Foundry and was a big hit in an area where pubs once offered the sole means of entertainment. Its large hall was also used for dancing which took place exclusively on Tuesday and Friday evenings. On 14 December 1911 the Grand Rink was converted and reopened as The Coliseum picture house, a cine-ballroom complex dubbed "The finest and largest picture hall in Edinburgh" with seating for 1,800. The Hogmanay of 1920 saw dancing return to the building and it became "Scotland"s most exclusive ballroom and social rendezvous". The cinema, renamed The New Coliseum, continued alongside the Palais until 1942. From the 1930s onwards the Palais de Danse flourished to become one of the most popular haunts in the city. On a good night up to 900 people would cavort the night away on its enormous sprung dancefloor. The great novelty was the hand-cranked revolving stage, which allowed bands to seamlessly swap over, without any hint of an interruption to the dancing. There were no alcoholic drinks " the "cocktail bar", Cupid"s Corner, served only fruit juice. Local lads hoping to impress the girls with their jiving had stiff competition from American Air Force personnel who were stationed at Kirknewton in West Lothian during the 1950s. The Palais is often associated with Fountainbridge"s most famous son, Sean Connery, who worked there as a bouncer and even trained for a career as a bodybuilder in the backstage area. In 1967 the ever-popular Palais de Danse was closed by its owners, Mecca, for refurbishment. Sadly, it would never reopen for its most celebrated purpose due to alleged structural problems. The building lay disused for a number of years before becoming a bingo hall which continued until 2006 when Mecca Bingo moved to Fountainpark.

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