Comments from Biffaskin

Showing 26 - 50 of 565 comments

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Alexandra Cinema on Dec 19, 2023 at 4:11 am

The cinema was remodelled for Jefton Entertainments Ltd. circuit who were the operators in 1938.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Grand Palais on Dec 19, 2023 at 2:40 am

Two interior photos added showing the Grand Palais, plenty of the original survives!

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Curzon Cinema on Dec 19, 2023 at 2:24 am

Client for the architect was noted as being Captain F. S. Eaton.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Regal Cinema on Dec 19, 2023 at 2:01 am

The Regal was built for Jefton’s Entertainments Ltd. circuit.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Rex Cinema on Dec 19, 2023 at 1:57 am

Not mentioned as yet are later alterations made in 1970s by W. S. Hattrell and Partners.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Festival Hall on Dec 19, 2023 at 1:49 am

The Festival Hall also had a Compton 3 Manual/11Rank organ installed, it had an illuminated console. Contractor for the installation was P. Hamer Ltd. of Swinton.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Omniplex Sunderland on Dec 10, 2023 at 9:24 am

The complex was renamed Sunniside Leisure at some point.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Tivoli Picture House on Dec 8, 2023 at 3:29 pm

The 1944 KYB has the owners as the New Empire (Burnley) Ltd., Cinemascope had been installed by the 1966 KYB operated by AMB Cinemas Ltd. of Prestwick, the screen was noted as being 27 ft. wide, 850 seats.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Victoria Cinema on Dec 7, 2023 at 3:37 am

The Burley Local History Group has a little more information: the Victoria Hall was built in 1888. Opened to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, it housed the local Rifle Volunteers, a detachment of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment 3rd Battalion Rifle Corps. Burley residents also used it as a multi-purpose hall for meetings, weddings and the like.

The A.S. Hyde circuit operated the Victoria Hall as a cinema during the 1940’s to the 1950’s, the building was demolished in 1962.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Queens Hall on Dec 7, 2023 at 3:14 am

Address is 72 Main Street.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Broadway Cinema on Dec 5, 2023 at 10:06 am

First film shown was Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers in “Shall We Dance”, it was built for Vincent Waring. Cine-Bingo operated whilst operating under the Mayfair name, this ceased in 1988 when Vincent sold the cinema to Gordon Chapman, a refuse collector that operated the cinema in the latter years single-handed. A fall in the foyer in late 1998 lead to his untimely passing in early 1999.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Garrison Cinema on Dec 4, 2023 at 12:38 pm

Further information has been gathered about two of the three cinemas. The first one burnt down just after The Great War came to an end, this was in January 1919, I have uploaded a photo of the blaze, the cinema was a victim of a nitrate fire, and was the Wesley Hall.

The third cinema, the Garrison Cinema, was closed in the mid 1970’s, becoming a gym before being swept away in the 1990’s.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Regent Cinema on Dec 2, 2023 at 3:17 am

This photo was taken in 1945, celebrating the end of WW2 and appeared in a newspaper article again in later years, confirming the closure of the cinema in 1962.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Regent Cinema on Dec 2, 2023 at 3:14 am

Closure confirmed as 1962, newspaper photo with text attached uploaded.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Hippodrome Cinema on Dec 2, 2023 at 1:32 am

A fire destroyed the Hippodrome night of 23rd April, 1932. Newspaper article picture and cinema picture added.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Grand Cinema on Dec 2, 2023 at 1:24 am

The cinema was demolished, I’ve added a photo of it’s demise in the early 1980’s.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Birchmeadow Centre on Dec 1, 2023 at 10:22 am

According to the website of the venue birchmeadow.org.uk the venue stationed the local ARP and Home Guard units during WW2. It became the Bladen Club in the mid 1960’s before being purchased by the Town Council becoming the community centre that it is today. Going full-circle, the centre now offers live theatre, music and cinema shows. Although owned by the Town Council, the venue is operated by a committee of volunteers.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Catshill Cinema on Dec 1, 2023 at 2:06 am

The school still survives as an NHS centre, and is Listed Grade II. Designed in 1909 by County Architect A.V. Rowe, G.H. Gadd, a local architect supervised the building’s erection. The school opened in 1912. The school hall retains the original decoration, including wood panelling, herringbone pattern wood block flooring and barrel-vaulted ceiling. The school was called Parkside School.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Showcase Cinemas Newham on Nov 28, 2023 at 2:10 am

Confirmed as having been demolished in 2022, it has been replaced by a massive Amazon distribution centre.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Crown Cinema on Nov 23, 2023 at 4:52 am

Built in 1908 as a Temperance Hall, it failed as such and was bought by Thomas Finlay who converted the hall into a variety hall and cinema in 1912. Later operated by Keith McDermid (who also managed the Kino, Butterknowle), the last film was shown on 10th November, 1962.

It was intended to open as a bingo club, The Crown Tombola and Social Club never happened. Instead it was turned into a garage which opened in 1964.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Queen's Cinema on Nov 20, 2023 at 9:41 am

Operated by Ronnie and Vera Knight prior to closure. It was then converted into a doctor’s surgery before conversion to a private residence. This from the Tarleton History Group on Facebook.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about County Cinema on Nov 9, 2023 at 1:12 pm

I disagree, though it has still has signage, the stills/poster boards are empty, so this is after closure.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Palace Cinema on Oct 31, 2023 at 1:27 am

After closure in the 1950’s, the Palace Cinema became the Top Hat Club, owned and operated by comedian Bernard Manning. Bingo then opened in the building, before being replaced as the Live Venue. Manchester City Council along with the Fire Service objected to the club staying open in 1977 due to the perilous state of the building. It re-opened, briefly, in 1978 as the New Electric Circus, but the damage to the business had been done and it closed once more, the builsding was demolished in early 1980.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Broadway Cinema on Oct 28, 2023 at 4:48 am

Architect was Dennis Hurford with F.G.W. Chamberlain.

Biffaskin
Biffaskin commented about Bristol North Baths Cinema on Oct 28, 2023 at 4:24 am

Construction of the Baths began in 1915, however, as soon as the boiler house was completed and the main body of the pool area was watertight from the elements, the Government took over the building. It was used as a factory to build wings for aircraft which were then transported to Filton. The building was handed back to Bristol Corporation in 1919 at the end of the Great War. It took a further 3 years to complete and open the Baths in 1922. Now operating as a co-working office space for rental by start-up businesses, it is Listed Grade II.