I have managed to get to see above the false ceiling… the Mollo & Egan designed ceiling was still in good shape then, as was the seats left behind too… unfortunately, we could not access the projection room, as the metal stairs had rusted away… may be worth trying to get a look again sometime..
There used to be an unusual pylon in the car park to the cinema… it seams that this has disappeared… it was going to be re-opened as a cinema, but Tesco bought the freehold and wanted to demolish everything… including, yes, the cinema… listing has saved it for now..but as we all know, Listing to Grade 2 is no guarentee of being saved at all these days…
Another thought.. above the Circle foyer (Plaza 2) was unused space, the former cafe. You could see out of the top of the three long windows onto Lemon Street from there, plus there was still a pond in the roof (which leaked!) from when it was opened… devoid of fish I hasten to add! It must have looked beautiful at night lit up… Mr Whale had plans to build Plaza 4 up there, but it never came to pass…
I worked at this cinema for a summer season, alongside the Camelot in Newquay, for Mr Norman Whale who operated both at the time. Sadly the electrics in the Plaza were a little suspect, which caused the safety certificate to be refused… by that time, Mr Whale had lost the Camelot, and so decided to give it all up. It is good that WTW Cornish Cinemas took the Plaza over… always a pleasure to work in, the main screen, Plaza 1, still used the old projectors and carbon arc lighting, from the original projection room.
Plaza 2 was in the former circle foyer, projection room squeezed under the circle void… Plaza 3 was in two-thirds of the rear stalls… the other third unused, just used as a walkway to gain access to the front stalls when needed.
If you sat in the circle in Plaza 1, you still had the same look and feel of how it all was when it opened.. pure bliss!
To mikero and others, sadly the demolition of the Film Centre/Odeon/Classic was necessary, as the attached multi story car park had ‘mundic block’ and was pulling the cinema down along with it… when this was realised, it was too late to save the cinema.. the next best thing is a new cinema, which at least WTW Cornish Cinemas has ensured by building the White River.
I knew the manager of the Torbay Picture House, John Mann. It was opperated by Reel cinemas until it closed. I was there on the final night, very sad indeed it was too.
The demise of the cinema was due to only short term leases being granted by the Torbay Steam Railway, so very little could be done by way of investing money into the site by the operators.
It was thought that the Apollo Cinema would be agreeable to operating the Torbay PH as an extra traditional screen, mainly for re-runs of older classics possibly, and for when a really good modern film came along, and the extra large auditorium was needed… this was not to be though, as the railway were determined to close the cinema, and as has been mentioned, convert the hall to a booking office and shops…
Listing was the only saving grace for the Torbay PH, but the building is starting to deteriorate….
I worked at the Camelot for the summer season when Mr Norman Whale operated the cinema, along with the Plaza in Truro. Jurassic Park came out as the blockbuster film, and it was very very very busy every day all summer. Still seated a little over 700 patrons then. Yhe only part of the original Pavilion, was the basement and the two towers either side of the main entrance.
The decor was orange and brown, very 1970s! That said, it was a great cinema, capable of showing 70mm prints, with the screen size to match! Just a real shame that WTW Cornish Cinemas didn’t come in time to save this cinema as well as the Plaza Truro.
The Galleon on the original Drake Cinema was retained, and returned to the facade of the Casino. I managed to go to this cinema, and the ABC several times when I was able to… if you looked up the exit stairs to where the projection room was, you could still see the original Fox Theatres carpet on the treads.
I don’t remember Rank ever owning the building outright. They leased it off of The Prudential, who had bought the freehold off of Fox. They (Fox) had stipulated that the ‘Drake’ name should not be removed, hence it was known as the ‘Drake Odeon’.
Visited Halstead on the 26th January, 2012. Pleased to say that the Empire is showing films again, but that the Picture House/Savoy is closed up and for sale, the childrens play area now closed. It is still in the same horrendous colour scheme though.
The film on show dates this picture to 1948 if shown on release?
I have managed to get to see above the false ceiling… the Mollo & Egan designed ceiling was still in good shape then, as was the seats left behind too… unfortunately, we could not access the projection room, as the metal stairs had rusted away… may be worth trying to get a look again sometime..
There used to be an unusual pylon in the car park to the cinema… it seams that this has disappeared… it was going to be re-opened as a cinema, but Tesco bought the freehold and wanted to demolish everything… including, yes, the cinema… listing has saved it for now..but as we all know, Listing to Grade 2 is no guarentee of being saved at all these days…
Another thought.. above the Circle foyer (Plaza 2) was unused space, the former cafe. You could see out of the top of the three long windows onto Lemon Street from there, plus there was still a pond in the roof (which leaked!) from when it was opened… devoid of fish I hasten to add! It must have looked beautiful at night lit up… Mr Whale had plans to build Plaza 4 up there, but it never came to pass…
I worked at this cinema for a summer season, alongside the Camelot in Newquay, for Mr Norman Whale who operated both at the time. Sadly the electrics in the Plaza were a little suspect, which caused the safety certificate to be refused… by that time, Mr Whale had lost the Camelot, and so decided to give it all up. It is good that WTW Cornish Cinemas took the Plaza over… always a pleasure to work in, the main screen, Plaza 1, still used the old projectors and carbon arc lighting, from the original projection room.
Plaza 2 was in the former circle foyer, projection room squeezed under the circle void… Plaza 3 was in two-thirds of the rear stalls… the other third unused, just used as a walkway to gain access to the front stalls when needed.
If you sat in the circle in Plaza 1, you still had the same look and feel of how it all was when it opened.. pure bliss!
As has happened to so many Bingo Clubs, Ritz Bingo closed on 2010, and the site is boarded up and disused.
To mikero and others, sadly the demolition of the Film Centre/Odeon/Classic was necessary, as the attached multi story car park had ‘mundic block’ and was pulling the cinema down along with it… when this was realised, it was too late to save the cinema.. the next best thing is a new cinema, which at least WTW Cornish Cinemas has ensured by building the White River.
Demolition complete in November 2011.
Yes, closed for good, street view shows the old cinema being converted to flats.
I knew the manager of the Torbay Picture House, John Mann. It was opperated by Reel cinemas until it closed. I was there on the final night, very sad indeed it was too.
The demise of the cinema was due to only short term leases being granted by the Torbay Steam Railway, so very little could be done by way of investing money into the site by the operators.
It was thought that the Apollo Cinema would be agreeable to operating the Torbay PH as an extra traditional screen, mainly for re-runs of older classics possibly, and for when a really good modern film came along, and the extra large auditorium was needed… this was not to be though, as the railway were determined to close the cinema, and as has been mentioned, convert the hall to a booking office and shops…
Listing was the only saving grace for the Torbay PH, but the building is starting to deteriorate….
Sadly, the Cinedrome closed, and is now a Sound Studio.
I worked at the Camelot for the summer season when Mr Norman Whale operated the cinema, along with the Plaza in Truro. Jurassic Park came out as the blockbuster film, and it was very very very busy every day all summer. Still seated a little over 700 patrons then. Yhe only part of the original Pavilion, was the basement and the two towers either side of the main entrance.
The decor was orange and brown, very 1970s! That said, it was a great cinema, capable of showing 70mm prints, with the screen size to match! Just a real shame that WTW Cornish Cinemas didn’t come in time to save this cinema as well as the Plaza Truro.
Last went past the Savoy in June 2011. Still boarded up and awaiting it’s fate… presumably the downturn in the building sector has saved it… for now….
The Galleon on the original Drake Cinema was retained, and returned to the facade of the Casino. I managed to go to this cinema, and the ABC several times when I was able to… if you looked up the exit stairs to where the projection room was, you could still see the original Fox Theatres carpet on the treads.
I don’t remember Rank ever owning the building outright. They leased it off of The Prudential, who had bought the freehold off of Fox. They (Fox) had stipulated that the ‘Drake’ name should not be removed, hence it was known as the ‘Drake Odeon’.
Visited Halstead on the 26th January, 2012. Pleased to say that the Empire is showing films again, but that the Picture House/Savoy is closed up and for sale, the childrens play area now closed. It is still in the same horrendous colour scheme though.