Pavilion Palace Of Varieties, 121, 123, 125 Renfield Street, Glasgow

Bertie Crewe, 1902-4. Striking 3-storey French Baroque theatre on prominent corner site with square-plan corner turrets with slated pyramidal roofs to corner and Renfrew Street. Buff terracotta with profusion of decorative sculpted panels.

RENFIELD STREET ELEVATION: 3 3-light pilastered main bays with narrow central dividing bays. Recessed central entrance with later canopy. Set of 3 2-leaf part-glazed entrance doors. Storeys divided by cornices. Main bays with 1st floor with windows divided by floating aprons, oculi windows to top storey with segmental pediments with richly sculpted tympana. Stepped parapet to bays. Lettering 'PAVILION' over centre between 1st and 2nd storeys with flanking blue and gold mosaic panels. Large 'PAVILION' sign attached vertically to central bay.

RENFREW STREET ELEVATION: bays arranged 1-3-1. Outer bays slightly advanced with 4-stage towers with sculpted top panels to top stages with small segmental skyline pediments. Central bays with ground floor frieze with lettering 'THE PAVILION'. 1st floor with 3 windows. Central 3-light, flanking windows 4-light with blind arcade aprons. Central window flanked by sculpted pilasters, repeated above. Parapet raised to centre and pedimented.

Variety of glazing patterns. Some stained glass windows. Predominantly multi-pane over plate glass. Plate glass to oculi.

INTERIOR: fine, rich Louis XV interior scheme. Small semi-circular apsed entrance hall with decorative plasterwork ceiling and terrazzo floor with mosaic inserts including central harp motif. 2-leaf timber doors with oval glazed panels and decorative mouldings. Auditorium (damaged by flood in 1992 ' see Notes) with 2 cantilevered tiers forming circle and gallery. 4 boxes and (altered) semicircular proscenium arch. Ornately decorated plasterwork with swags, volutes, putti etc. Domed ceiling contains rare operational sliding roof panel.