Another owner, another name change - Cannon were taken over by Pathe Communications which then acquired MGM and the circuit was renamed MGM Cinemas including the ABC1 which had suffered a fire in October 1992 and re-opened in December 1992. In 1995, Virgin bought the chain from MGM and then sold the non-multiplexes including Sauchiehall Street to Cinven, a venture capital company, who renamed their chain ABC, having acquired the historic brand.

In December 1999 the ABC1/Regal finally closed. After refurbishment various bars opened in the building and in June 2005 Regular Music reopened the building as a music venue using the ABC name and logo.

ABOVE: The former ABC1 in May 2004 after refurbishmenrt. RIGHT: The classic ABC triangle logo.

In 1979, in common with many other cinemas around the country the ABC1 underwent conversion creating four screens with the contractors uncovering the history of the building along the way, discovering stables and elephant traps! With the ABC2, the new five screen complex now named the ABC Film Centre opened in December 1979.

In 1985, ABC's parent company Thorn EMI sold the circuit to Australian businessman Alan Bond who promptly sold it on for £175 million to Menachem Golan and Yoram Globas's Cannon Group. Within a year the once -proud ABC name had gone, replaced by Cannon, a name synonymous with tasteless teen sex comedies like "Lemon Popsicle" and "Up your Anchor". ABC managers referring to the "Go Go Boys" and the tat they produced clearly felt that they had reached an all-time professional low.

Shortly after acquiring EMI, Cannon ran into financial difficulties and sold a number of cinemas to property developers. Although the ABC1 survived this sell off it suffered from a lack of investment and started to look increasingly down at heel.