Winter Gardens, Rothesay, Bute

Walter MacFarlane & Co. (Saracen Foundry, Glasgow) in collaboration with Alex Stephen (burgh surveyor), 1923-4; incorporating Victorian octagonal-plan bandstand (converted for use as cinema late 20th century). Circular-plan domed winter garden (25m diameter); square-plan towers flanking entrance; bowed loggia to S; squared N end (restaurant) with raised octagonal tower to former bandstand; flanking single storey piended pavilions. Panelled walls; vertical glazing to upper levels; regularly disposed engaged columns with decorative cast-iron brackets beneath cantilevered awning to outer ambulatory; architraved eaves; volute corner cartouches; tapering finials. Radial steel ribs supporting central dome; glazed inner ambulatory; flat roof above forming upper promenade enclosed by continuous decorative cast-iron handrail; regularly disposed cast-iron lamp standards; decorative Art Nouveau panels.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: glazed entrance centred at ground recessed beneath bowed portico comprising cast-iron Doric columns flanking centre; volute capitals; surmounting lampstandards set in upper promenade. 2-storey pagoda-roofed pavilions to left and right of entrance; panelled walls at ground; diamond glazing at 1st floor beneath wide eaves; corner roof cartouches; surmounting finials; pagoda-roof surmounting glazed oculus centred above dome (spherical finial missing).

N (REAR) ELEVATION: bracketed eaves beneath octagonal-roofed, 2-storey tower at centre; decorative Art Nouveau glazing at 1st floor; projecting polygonal bow at ground to front (restaurant); surmounting cast-iron railings to promenade; piended square-plan pavilions at ground to outer left and right.

INTERIOR: boarded central dome comprising radiating steel girders (solid in section towards apex); moulded boss; girders curve towards ground with skeletal circular infils; glazed clerestory; boxed piers at ground; glazed ambulatory beyond. Decorative handrail encloses inner floor; polygonal part-glazed booth set on platform to SE; 'Pay Here' parapet with cast-iron detailing. Segmental-arched girder to N frames stage; cinema behind (entered from W); restaurant beyond. Access to upper promenade via balustraded stairs set in pavilions flanking entrance.

Predominantly vertical glazing; decorative fanlights; diamond-glazing to pagoda towers; part-stained decorative glazing to former bandstand. Red-felt roofing to dome; red-felt fish-scale tiled towers; cast-iron rainwater goods.