As a new bid is launched to revamp one of Edinburgh's greatest old cinemas into a glittering centre for the arts, what about Scotland's other great silver screen survivors?

We may have lost most of our classic old picturehouses to bingo or demolition, but a choice few landmarks have stood the test of time. Here's our guide to the best of the local gems.

Glasgow Film Theatre

The Glasgow Film Theatre was the first purpose-built arts cinema outside of London, originally opening as the Cosmo cinema, and has recently celebrated its 70th year showing films. As the hub of the Glasgow Film Festival, the art crowd flock to view cool independent films and have a chinwag in the Cosmo cafe.

The New Picture House, St Andrews

Opened in 1934, the main cinema is decorated with painted panels showing aspects of St Andrews. It must be one of the last cinemas in the country where you can can still choose whether to sit in the stalls or balcony.

The Picture House, Campbeltown

The Picture House is Scotland’s second oldest surviving purpose built cinema, opened in May 1913. Its original interior decor - a painted starry sky on the ceiling and projected clouds - was an attempt to make you feel like you were watching the film outside. That fad may not have lasted, but the cinema is still going strong.

The Cameo, Edinburgh

The Cameo cinema, with its stunning Edwardian interior, has been showing films since January 1914, and has continually seen off competition from nearby multiplexes. This much-loved Edinburgh institution also takes a key role during the annual Edinburgh Film Festival.

The Bo'ness Hippodrome

The Hippodrome, opened in 1912, has a good claim to be the oldest surviving purpose-built cinema  in Scotland. After a stint as a bingo hall, it closed in the 1980s and ran into ruin. The good news is it reopened in 2009 as the centrepiece of the regeneration of Bo’ness town centre, boasting all the new technical gizmos.

IN DETAIL

• Reel Scotland: rediscovering Scotland's cinema heritage by Gordon Barr (external site)
• Landmark cinema set for multi-arts facelift