My scanned photographs of the exterior were taken in March 2000, and my scanned photographs of the cinema organ were taken in September 2008. The Movieland is owned and operated by local businessman Ernie Watson.
My scanned photographs were taken in March 2000. This is a standard shopping mall multiplex but the foyer, at first floor level, had very imaginatively been decorated in ‘Hollywood’ style, with individual entrances to each of the screens. Regrettably, when I visited again, in October 2013, I found that all that decoration had been removed when the cinema was significantly upgraded and refurbished, including the installation of a large format OmnimaXX auditorium.
My scanned photographs were taken in March 2000, when I had the pleasure of meeting the operator, John Quinn. My photographs of the closed cinema were taken in October 2013.
My photographs were taken in September 2008. The Ritz actually opened in 1954, although I gather it failed to live up to the standards of comfort and heating set by the 1936 Regal! The Ritz was purchased in 1961 by J. J. McManus, a local entrepreneur, who continued showing films until 1992, its closure presumably a consequence of the opening of the Castle Entertainment Centre (in the same way that the Ritz had ‘seen off’ the earlier Townhall Cinema!).
My photographs were taken in September 2008. The Regal opened on Saturday 4 January 1936 with a Special Hospital Benefit Performance of “Friday the Thirteenth”, starring Jessie Matthews and Sonnie Hale. Regular performances began the following Monday with “Roberta”, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The auditorium walls featured hand painted murals of Devenish Abbey on one side and the old Weirs Bridge on the other. Having been acquired by the Rank Organisation, the Regal closed in February 1967 and was purchased by Bobby Donaldson, a local businessman. It was later sold to the Fermanagh Unionist Association and re-opened in May 1972 as the Fermanagh Unionist headquarters. I understand the auditorium murals survive. In September 2008 the foyer area was occupied by retailer ‘Toy Town’, while the Unionist Association used what I assume was the former Pit stalls entrance down the side of the building.
The information above is not quite accurate. The twin-screen Ritz was not totally demolished; instead, three additional screens were added in a brand new second floor extension, although during the course of this work the whole building was given a full makeover and an upgrade. The new screens are 1, 2 and 3, while the original auditoriums are numbers 4 and 5. The Ritz is owned by local businessman Columba Eastwood. My photograph of the original Ritz was taken in November 1998; my photographs of the current Ritz were taken in September 2008.
My photographs were taken in September 2008. The Cineplex closed in spring 2010 when the Kennedy Centre shut down for a rebuild/refurbishment that resulted in it doubling in size. An 8-screen Omniplex replaced the Cineplex; although substantially in the same location, the three additional screens and the rebuild necessary to produce higher ceilings so stadium seating could be installed in all the auditoriums resulted in, effectively, a new cinema. This has its own, separate, entry on Cinema Treasures.
My photograph showing this cinema as the Bangor Multiplex was taken in November 1998. Three additional screens were at that time being announced as “new” (see my leaflet scan) so the cinema had evidently been enlarged fairly recently, and presumably this was when the name was changed from Bangor Cineplex to Bangor Multiplex. More recently (2008?) it was acquired by Omniplex and subsequently refurbished and rebranded.
Since the split between the Ward and Anderson families (which has its origins in 1997 but was not finalised until January 2013) the Ward family have taken sole control of Irish Multiplex Cinemas (IMC), of which (at November 2013) this is their only cinema in Northern Ireland. My photographs were taken in September 2000.
My photograph of this cinema as the Armagh City Film House was taken in November 1998. Since then, this central Market Square area has been pedestrianised.
My scanned photographs were taken in December 1998.
My scanned photographs were taken in December 1998, when the cinema was fully open.
My scanned photographs were taken in September 1998.
My photographs were taken in September 2008.
My photograph was taken in November 1998. The building was up for sale, and not in any obvious use at that time.
My photograph was taken in November 1998.
My photograph was taken in February 1998, which puts the opening date further back.
My photographs were taken in February 2009.
My scanned photographs of the exterior were taken in March 2000, and my scanned photographs of the cinema organ were taken in September 2008. The Movieland is owned and operated by local businessman Ernie Watson.
My scanned photographs were taken in March 2000. This is a standard shopping mall multiplex but the foyer, at first floor level, had very imaginatively been decorated in ‘Hollywood’ style, with individual entrances to each of the screens. Regrettably, when I visited again, in October 2013, I found that all that decoration had been removed when the cinema was significantly upgraded and refurbished, including the installation of a large format OmnimaXX auditorium.
My scanned photographs were taken in March 2000, when I had the pleasure of meeting the operator, John Quinn. My photographs of the closed cinema were taken in October 2013.
My photographs were taken in September 2008. The Ritz actually opened in 1954, although I gather it failed to live up to the standards of comfort and heating set by the 1936 Regal! The Ritz was purchased in 1961 by J. J. McManus, a local entrepreneur, who continued showing films until 1992, its closure presumably a consequence of the opening of the Castle Entertainment Centre (in the same way that the Ritz had ‘seen off’ the earlier Townhall Cinema!).
My photographs were taken in September 2008. The Regal opened on Saturday 4 January 1936 with a Special Hospital Benefit Performance of “Friday the Thirteenth”, starring Jessie Matthews and Sonnie Hale. Regular performances began the following Monday with “Roberta”, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The auditorium walls featured hand painted murals of Devenish Abbey on one side and the old Weirs Bridge on the other. Having been acquired by the Rank Organisation, the Regal closed in February 1967 and was purchased by Bobby Donaldson, a local businessman. It was later sold to the Fermanagh Unionist Association and re-opened in May 1972 as the Fermanagh Unionist headquarters. I understand the auditorium murals survive. In September 2008 the foyer area was occupied by retailer ‘Toy Town’, while the Unionist Association used what I assume was the former Pit stalls entrance down the side of the building.
My photographs were taken in September 2008.
The information above is not quite accurate. The twin-screen Ritz was not totally demolished; instead, three additional screens were added in a brand new second floor extension, although during the course of this work the whole building was given a full makeover and an upgrade. The new screens are 1, 2 and 3, while the original auditoriums are numbers 4 and 5. The Ritz is owned by local businessman Columba Eastwood. My photograph of the original Ritz was taken in November 1998; my photographs of the current Ritz were taken in September 2008.
My photographs were taken in September 2000.
My photographs were taken in September 2008. The Cineplex closed in spring 2010 when the Kennedy Centre shut down for a rebuild/refurbishment that resulted in it doubling in size. An 8-screen Omniplex replaced the Cineplex; although substantially in the same location, the three additional screens and the rebuild necessary to produce higher ceilings so stadium seating could be installed in all the auditoriums resulted in, effectively, a new cinema. This has its own, separate, entry on Cinema Treasures.
My photographs were taken in September 2008.
My photographs were taken in September 2008.
Leaflet obtained in November 1998.
My photograph showing this cinema as the Bangor Multiplex was taken in November 1998. Three additional screens were at that time being announced as “new” (see my leaflet scan) so the cinema had evidently been enlarged fairly recently, and presumably this was when the name was changed from Bangor Cineplex to Bangor Multiplex. More recently (2008?) it was acquired by Omniplex and subsequently refurbished and rebranded.
My photograph of the closed State was taken in November 1998.
Since the split between the Ward and Anderson families (which has its origins in 1997 but was not finalised until January 2013) the Ward family have taken sole control of Irish Multiplex Cinemas (IMC), of which (at November 2013) this is their only cinema in Northern Ireland. My photographs were taken in September 2000.
My photograph of this cinema as the Armagh City Film House was taken in November 1998. Since then, this central Market Square area has been pedestrianised.
My photographs were taken in November 1998.