A PROUD Bankie who has written a new book based around tales of the old La Scala cinema admits he was inspired to write when he witnessed the popular building being demolished.

Roger Clifford has penned his second book, Skinny Malinky Long Legs: Tales from the La Scala Cinema - a collection of Clydebank memories from an era when the famed building stood tall and proud.

Just as with his first book, profits from sales of the new book will go to charity, with Roger hopeful he can split any proceeds between a home for the elderly and a children’s home.

And speaking to the Post ahead of the launch of the new book, Roger insists Bankies will enjoy taking a trip down memory lane.

He said: “I first got the idea for writing the book when I experienced sadness seeing the great La Scala cinema getting demolished.

“So, when I started telling people that I was going to write about my memories growing up around this great cinema, others started telling me their stories.

“So before long, I had a collection of others’ stories.

“Some were so funny, some were sad.

“But because there were so many different situations, I had to put them into chapters.”

Opened on Valentine’s Day, 1938, the La Scala became a much-loved social spot for Bankies to enjoy a night out. It is famed for surviving the Blitz during the Second World War and many injured during the German bombardment were taken to the site to recover.

In the 1960s it also became a bingo hall as well as a picture house but the next twenty years saw its popularity wane and the cinema was closed in 1983.

The bingo battled on until 2006 when it was closed and the idle building was eventually torn down in 2016.

Roger, who has lived in Clydebank all his life, explained the iconic building was a proud landmark of the town and a social hub in its heyday.

He added: “From grans and grandads, to courting couples, from short trousered schoolboys to giggling schoolgirls, our thoughts and dreams will always remind us of majestic picture house, the masterpiece sitting on a hill in Clydebank.”

Roger’s first book, titled I Just Went Out For Bread and Milk, details his travels around the globe.

He worked with Jim McLaren at the Golden Friendships in Dalmuir to organise gifting the profits from that book to those affected by homelessness in Glasgow and has even helped out delivering fish suppers to homeless men and women on a Monday night.

The book can be purchased on Amazon by typing in 'Skinny Malinky Long Legs La Scala Cinema Clydebank'.