I remember working there as an usher in 1976,tearing tickets in the balcony. The staff rooms were back stage in the old dressing rooms. It was great to go back on to the disused stage behind the screen which was all intact and full of atmosphere of its past history as a theatre.
I discovered further details for this cinema when researching for my now published book “Theatres and Cinemas of Sidmouth”. The original concept of the building was to have been a public hall but in the latter stages P.E.Steadman was asked by the proprietors – Radway Estates – to redesign the building as a theatre. This he did, mainly by altering the frontage and adding a projection and re-wind room for films. I found no mention of the architect William Henry Watkins being involved in this building. It did go over to films in December 1929 but soon reverted back to live theatre use. Strangely it was re-named “The Palace” for one year only, in 1936. It was used many times as a theatre during the 1930’s, through the war and well into the 1950’s. However, films were presented more than live shows and it was always regarded as a cinema. The proscenium was widened in 1954 for Cinemascope and again in 1966 when modern wall to wall curtaining was installed by a firm called “Modernisation”. It still survives today and is operated by Scott Cinemas with WTW Cinemas.
Fantastc art-deco proscenium. The decorative house tabs were replaced by a large silver festoon when cinema scope was introduced in 1954.I remember it well with its colourful stage lighting effects.
This was a fine example of an 1930’s Earnest Roberts cinema .Bold red brick exterior with a vast art-deco streamlined auditorium.The site is excavated into the hillside with the front stalls and stage being ten feet below ground level.This resulted in a very low rear elevation but a high handsome frontage.This was ruined when a unsympathetic extension was built onto the front, hiding the tall stained glass upper foyer windows. This had the shortest life of all of the Stourbridge cinemas, a mere 23 years. People remember it more now from its Bingo and nightclub days that followed the closure. In a very reconstructed and altered form the building at the moment is still there in Hagley Road.
It is true that the Savoy was demolished and rebuilt but on the same footprint and the frontage was made to resemble the dimensions of the original building.
May I correct a fact on the original history overview. The Savoy was built as a typical cine-variety theatre with a balcony, small stage and a scenery door on the back wall. Not, as stated, a single floor. After the fire it was re-constructed internally without the balcony.
A little known fact is that this new ABC built in 1975, designed by architect Alan Morgan, was originally to be a twin. However, last minute changes to the plans, splitting one of the auditoria, meant that it opened as a triple. This is why Screen 1 was a shoe box shape and the small Screen 3 was an awkward shape with a lot of void wasted space in front of the projection box and behind the screen.
I have fond memories of this cinema when I was the Manager throughout the 90s, being transferred just before it closed. I organised its 60th anniversary and name changes from Cannon to MGM and back again to ABC. I re-introduced children’s Saturday Morning Pictures where the stage was used in Screen One for various entertainers before the film. I remember the queues circling the building on a busy night – down to the river at the back and up the other side, where I would be organising the queues and eventually turning away disappointed patrons as we had full houses in all three screens. It had a popular licensed bar and two busy kiosks – one in the main foyer and the other upstairs, all manned by dedicated, enthusiastic staff. The Number One auditorium (the original circle space with a new screen, gold tabs and stage extended forward) was equipped for 70mm and Dalby Digital stereo. To me it was one of the finest cinemas to watch a film.
As seen on the main page, a view of the auditorium in 1937 just after Odeon’s takeover. All of the photographs on this site are from the John Maltby collection, Odeon’s in-house photographer. All were taken in that same year. It has been mentioned that it was converted into a furniture store when it closed, however only the foyer was incorporated into the shop next door. The main auditorium minus its seats became a store room with very little altered. This remained a hidden ghost theatre gem and its beauty and potential was only revealed when it was being demolished. Far too late, hopefully lessons have been learned from this.
Another view of the main foyer, this time looking towards the main doors to the High Street. This shows the grand staircase leading up to the balcony foyer and on its landing was a beautiful stain glass window.
This is a view of the Compton organ which was removed in 1958 and is now in Netherton Parish Church. The mock flower beds were replaced with just an open orchestra pit containing a grand piano, which was eventually removed after further modernisation.
This splendid view is of the foyer as you entered from the High Street. Just out of sight on the floor in front of the steps was a mosaic of the town’s motto ‘One Heart, One Way’. There were two pay boxes either side at the top of the steps and straight ahead led to the stalls. On the left, past the second pillar, was the staircase to the balcony foyer. Opposite was a veranda with an indoor fish pond. Very little changed in this photograph over the years except for a modern combined kiosk and pay box installed on the right hand side replacing the veranda and pond.
I have fond and vivid memories of this cinema while growing up in Stourbridge in the 1960’s, especially the children’s Saturday Morning Pictures where the stage was frequently used by local bands and for competitions. With its beautiful auditorium and facilities the Odeon should never have been demolished. The venue could well have served the area in the future as a concert hall or for other theatrical use.
I remember working there as an usher in 1976,tearing tickets in the balcony. The staff rooms were back stage in the old dressing rooms. It was great to go back on to the disused stage behind the screen which was all intact and full of atmosphere of its past history as a theatre.
I discovered further details for this cinema when researching for my now published book “Theatres and Cinemas of Sidmouth”. The original concept of the building was to have been a public hall but in the latter stages P.E.Steadman was asked by the proprietors – Radway Estates – to redesign the building as a theatre. This he did, mainly by altering the frontage and adding a projection and re-wind room for films. I found no mention of the architect William Henry Watkins being involved in this building. It did go over to films in December 1929 but soon reverted back to live theatre use. Strangely it was re-named “The Palace” for one year only, in 1936. It was used many times as a theatre during the 1930’s, through the war and well into the 1950’s. However, films were presented more than live shows and it was always regarded as a cinema. The proscenium was widened in 1954 for Cinemascope and again in 1966 when modern wall to wall curtaining was installed by a firm called “Modernisation”. It still survives today and is operated by Scott Cinemas with WTW Cinemas.
This was a fine large art-deco cinema by Earnest Roberts. I remember it well and have added some more photos.
Fantastc art-deco proscenium. The decorative house tabs were replaced by a large silver festoon when cinema scope was introduced in 1954.I remember it well with its colourful stage lighting effects.
View from the stage on opening day.
This was a fine example of an 1930’s Earnest Roberts cinema .Bold red brick exterior with a vast art-deco streamlined auditorium.The site is excavated into the hillside with the front stalls and stage being ten feet below ground level.This resulted in a very low rear elevation but a high handsome frontage.This was ruined when a unsympathetic extension was built onto the front, hiding the tall stained glass upper foyer windows. This had the shortest life of all of the Stourbridge cinemas, a mere 23 years. People remember it more now from its Bingo and nightclub days that followed the closure. In a very reconstructed and altered form the building at the moment is still there in Hagley Road.
It is true that the Savoy was demolished and rebuilt but on the same footprint and the frontage was made to resemble the dimensions of the original building. May I correct a fact on the original history overview. The Savoy was built as a typical cine-variety theatre with a balcony, small stage and a scenery door on the back wall. Not, as stated, a single floor. After the fire it was re-constructed internally without the balcony.
A little known fact is that this new ABC built in 1975, designed by architect Alan Morgan, was originally to be a twin. However, last minute changes to the plans, splitting one of the auditoria, meant that it opened as a triple. This is why Screen 1 was a shoe box shape and the small Screen 3 was an awkward shape with a lot of void wasted space in front of the projection box and behind the screen.
I have fond memories of this cinema when I was the Manager throughout the 90s, being transferred just before it closed. I organised its 60th anniversary and name changes from Cannon to MGM and back again to ABC. I re-introduced children’s Saturday Morning Pictures where the stage was used in Screen One for various entertainers before the film. I remember the queues circling the building on a busy night – down to the river at the back and up the other side, where I would be organising the queues and eventually turning away disappointed patrons as we had full houses in all three screens. It had a popular licensed bar and two busy kiosks – one in the main foyer and the other upstairs, all manned by dedicated, enthusiastic staff. The Number One auditorium (the original circle space with a new screen, gold tabs and stage extended forward) was equipped for 70mm and Dalby Digital stereo. To me it was one of the finest cinemas to watch a film.
As seen on the main page, a view of the auditorium in 1937 just after Odeon’s takeover. All of the photographs on this site are from the John Maltby collection, Odeon’s in-house photographer. All were taken in that same year. It has been mentioned that it was converted into a furniture store when it closed, however only the foyer was incorporated into the shop next door. The main auditorium minus its seats became a store room with very little altered. This remained a hidden ghost theatre gem and its beauty and potential was only revealed when it was being demolished. Far too late, hopefully lessons have been learned from this.
The main entrance from the High Street just before its name changed from The Central Theatre to The Odeon.
Another view of the main foyer, this time looking towards the main doors to the High Street. This shows the grand staircase leading up to the balcony foyer and on its landing was a beautiful stain glass window.
This is a view of the Compton organ which was removed in 1958 and is now in Netherton Parish Church. The mock flower beds were replaced with just an open orchestra pit containing a grand piano, which was eventually removed after further modernisation.
This splendid view is of the foyer as you entered from the High Street. Just out of sight on the floor in front of the steps was a mosaic of the town’s motto ‘One Heart, One Way’. There were two pay boxes either side at the top of the steps and straight ahead led to the stalls. On the left, past the second pillar, was the staircase to the balcony foyer. Opposite was a veranda with an indoor fish pond. Very little changed in this photograph over the years except for a modern combined kiosk and pay box installed on the right hand side replacing the veranda and pond.
I have fond and vivid memories of this cinema while growing up in Stourbridge in the 1960’s, especially the children’s Saturday Morning Pictures where the stage was frequently used by local bands and for competitions. With its beautiful auditorium and facilities the Odeon should never have been demolished. The venue could well have served the area in the future as a concert hall or for other theatrical use.