“Empire of Light” has just opened in the UK and features some stunning photography of the interior, foyer and exterior. Also the projection box, but this may be a studio set. Looks genuine, though. Sadly the plot is pretty banal but if you can take your mind off it the visuals are very rewarding.
No-Match still occupies the ground floor but the entrance on the left now houses a barber shop.
MappMan
commented about
Cinemaon
Aug 4, 2022 at 3:52 am
Jim Watson in his books “Lakeland towns” (1992) and “My lakeland” (2022) mentions the Embassy Cinema occupying the former Acme House at the northern junction of Crescent Road and Main Street. The building now houses Brown Sugar, a restaurant and bar.
It can be seen in the background of a couple of scenes in an episode of “Dial 999” (“Mechanical watchman”, 1958) with Odeon Temple Fortune clearly visible on the side wall.
The exterior can be seen in a 1959 episode of the “Scotland Yard” tv series (“The Dover Road Mystery”) when one of the criminals leaves the cinema. There’s also a shot of the foyer as the cashier signals to waiting police that the suspected criminal has left the building.
Exterior of the then Gaumont Palace is visible in the background as Annette Whiteley wanders aimlessly along Lewisham High Street at night in “Girl on approval” (1962).
In “Girl on approval” (1962)James Maxwell and Annette Whiteley pay a visit to the Cannon when it was known as the Rex and was showing a double bill of “Watch it, sailor” (1961) and “Treasure of Monte Cristo” (1949). Shots of exterior, foyer and box office (including uniformed commissionaire and ticket prices). Also includes shots of cinema cafe. Exterior also appears later when the double bill has changed to “The absent-minded professor” (1961) and “The horsemasters” (1961).
Clifton Picture House (York) Ltd was registered in 1936 to acquire property at Town Street, Clifton, from Jack Prendergast for the purpose of erecting a kinematograph theatre. He and William Tomlinson Mawson (a corporate accountant) were named as directors. It was opened in November 1937 by the Clifton Cinema Company Ltd, with Jack Prendergast “in control”. Percy Bedford was the manager, R M Morsley the assistant manager and Mawson the company chairman. Prendergast and Mawson were both listed as proprietors in 1944. It closed as a cinema in October 1964, reopening as the Clifton Bingo Club. Jack Prendergast’s son, Patrick (Lancaster 1924-1985 Grimston, York), a “trainee cinema operator” in 1939, became manager, while his own son, Jonathan, managed the adjacent Clifton Club. Now known as Clifton Bingo and owned by Clifton Bingo Club Ltd, whose directors are Jonathan and his brother, Jeremy.
Built in 1909 as the New City Skating Rink, it was later renamed the Palace Skating Rink. In 1911 - now the City Roller Skating Rink - it was offered fo sale or rent, the owners claiming it would make a fine Picture Show [sic] or Billiard Saloon or both. It was described as having a fine frontage and being substantially built - the building’s dimensions were 227ft by 98ft. In 1924 it was known as the City Cinema and by 1927, the Casino. The proprietor was Lloyd Forsyth, a Folkestone based entrepreneur who had earlier advertised that he wanted to rent “a large skating rink, dance hall or very large kinema preferably in the north.” Renamed the Rialto Cinema, it was gutted by fire on 6 April 1935 with only the shell of the building left standing. Films in a fireproof box were untouched, however. It was speedily rebuilt and reopened on 25 November 1935. The proprietors during this period were Jack Prendergast (John Barry’s father) and J E Winder. In 1961 the cinema (which incorporated a large ballroom) was sold to Mecca (Dancing) Ltd who ran it as a Mecca Bingo and Social Club.
Originally a theatre and performance space forming part of Arnold Leisure Centre (other components include a swimming pool and library) which was built in 1963-64 and remodelled in 1983. A digital projection system with 5:1 surround sound was installed in 2015 and feature films are now shown on a regular basis. 178 seats (in pre-Covid days) - reduced to 24. Operated by Gedling Borough Council and referred to on its publicity leaflets as the Bonington Cinema.
The architect was William Carter Fenton (1861-1959). Alderman and Lord Mayor of Sheffield. Former Corporation Chief Building and Architectural Surveyor before establishing the architectural practice of Hall and Fenton.
The exterior can be seen in “Man on the run” (1949). A fugitive villain steals a car parked outside – the owner is inside at a film Trade Show. Shortly after the police arrive and enter the lobby.
The exterior of the original Ionic can be seen in “Offbeat” (1960) when a Scotland Yard detective walks past a poster advertising the comedy crime film “Law and disorder” (1958)
Planning permission has been given to convert part of the building into apartments.
No-Match has moved out and Kendal Vapes is about to move in.
“Empire of Light” has just opened in the UK and features some stunning photography of the interior, foyer and exterior. Also the projection box, but this may be a studio set. Looks genuine, though. Sadly the plot is pretty banal but if you can take your mind off it the visuals are very rewarding.
Plans submitted August 2022 to convert building into apartments.
The building now has a plaque giving a brief history of the Cinema.
No-Match still occupies the ground floor but the entrance on the left now houses a barber shop.
Jim Watson in his books “Lakeland towns” (1992) and “My lakeland” (2022) mentions the Embassy Cinema occupying the former Acme House at the northern junction of Crescent Road and Main Street. The building now houses Brown Sugar, a restaurant and bar.
There’s a detailed history of the cinema on the Alhambra’s website https://www.keswickalhambra.co.uk/history
Now a branch of McColl’s convenience stores - April 2022.
It can be seen in the background of a couple of scenes in an episode of “Dial 999” (“Mechanical watchman”, 1958) with Odeon Temple Fortune clearly visible on the side wall.
The exterior can be seen in a 1959 episode of the “Scotland Yard” tv series (“The Dover Road Mystery”) when one of the criminals leaves the cinema. There’s also a shot of the foyer as the cashier signals to waiting police that the suspected criminal has left the building.
Opened as the Darncombe Kinema in 1910 by Harold E Buxton and Fred Hargeaves.
Exterior of the then Gaumont Palace is visible in the background as Annette Whiteley wanders aimlessly along Lewisham High Street at night in “Girl on approval” (1962).
In “Girl on approval” (1962)James Maxwell and Annette Whiteley pay a visit to the Cannon when it was known as the Rex and was showing a double bill of “Watch it, sailor” (1961) and “Treasure of Monte Cristo” (1949). Shots of exterior, foyer and box office (including uniformed commissionaire and ticket prices). Also includes shots of cinema cafe. Exterior also appears later when the double bill has changed to “The absent-minded professor” (1961) and “The horsemasters” (1961).
Clifton Picture House (York) Ltd was registered in 1936 to acquire property at Town Street, Clifton, from Jack Prendergast for the purpose of erecting a kinematograph theatre. He and William Tomlinson Mawson (a corporate accountant) were named as directors. It was opened in November 1937 by the Clifton Cinema Company Ltd, with Jack Prendergast “in control”. Percy Bedford was the manager, R M Morsley the assistant manager and Mawson the company chairman. Prendergast and Mawson were both listed as proprietors in 1944. It closed as a cinema in October 1964, reopening as the Clifton Bingo Club. Jack Prendergast’s son, Patrick (Lancaster 1924-1985 Grimston, York), a “trainee cinema operator” in 1939, became manager, while his own son, Jonathan, managed the adjacent Clifton Club. Now known as Clifton Bingo and owned by Clifton Bingo Club Ltd, whose directors are Jonathan and his brother, Jeremy.
Built in 1909 as the New City Skating Rink, it was later renamed the Palace Skating Rink. In 1911 - now the City Roller Skating Rink - it was offered fo sale or rent, the owners claiming it would make a fine Picture Show [sic] or Billiard Saloon or both. It was described as having a fine frontage and being substantially built - the building’s dimensions were 227ft by 98ft. In 1924 it was known as the City Cinema and by 1927, the Casino. The proprietor was Lloyd Forsyth, a Folkestone based entrepreneur who had earlier advertised that he wanted to rent “a large skating rink, dance hall or very large kinema preferably in the north.” Renamed the Rialto Cinema, it was gutted by fire on 6 April 1935 with only the shell of the building left standing. Films in a fireproof box were untouched, however. It was speedily rebuilt and reopened on 25 November 1935. The proprietors during this period were Jack Prendergast (John Barry’s father) and J E Winder. In 1961 the cinema (which incorporated a large ballroom) was sold to Mecca (Dancing) Ltd who ran it as a Mecca Bingo and Social Club.
Building started in 1928 but wasn’t completed until 1934.
Managing Director at one time was Pentland Hick who bought the Central Cinema, Pickering, from Jack Prendergast in 1960.
Owned by Jack Prendergast (father of film composer John Barry) and sold to Pentland Hick (managing director of Gaiety Cinema, Scarborough) in 1960.
Originally a theatre and performance space forming part of Arnold Leisure Centre (other components include a swimming pool and library) which was built in 1963-64 and remodelled in 1983. A digital projection system with 5:1 surround sound was installed in 2015 and feature films are now shown on a regular basis. 178 seats (in pre-Covid days) - reduced to 24. Operated by Gedling Borough Council and referred to on its publicity leaflets as the Bonington Cinema.
Hall and Fenton was the architectural practice commissioned to design the New Roscoe.
The architect was William Carter Fenton (1861-1959). Alderman and Lord Mayor of Sheffield. Former Corporation Chief Building and Architectural Surveyor before establishing the architectural practice of Hall and Fenton.
The exterior can be seen in “Man on the run” (1949). A fugitive villain steals a car parked outside – the owner is inside at a film Trade Show. Shortly after the police arrive and enter the lobby.
The exterior of the original Ionic can be seen in “Offbeat” (1960) when a Scotland Yard detective walks past a poster advertising the comedy crime film “Law and disorder” (1958)
Planning permission given in May 2020 to demolish the building and replace it with a nine storey apartment block.