Plaza Cinema

Rowlands Road,
Worthing, BN11 3JS

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Associated British Cinemas Ltd., Lou Morris

Architects: Harry Weston

Functions: Bingo Hall

Styles: Art Deco

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Plaza Cinema

The Plaza Cinema was built for Lou Morris and opened on 14th December 1933 with Bebe Daniels in "The Song You Gave Me". Designed by noted cinema architect Harry Weston, it was a steel frame and brick construction, with the external walls rendered in cement.

The auditorium was decorated in an underwater theme with Art Deco style. The interior decoration was carried out by Mollo & Egan. Seating was provided in stalls and circle levels. It had a 45 feet wide proscenium, a 30 feet deep stage and was equipped with a Compton 3Manual/10Rank organ. The console was on a lift and had a specially designed illuminated glass surround and it was opened by resident organist Tommy Dando. Located above the entrance foyer was a café/lounge which had a dance-floor.

The Plaza Cinema was taken over by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) in February 1936. They closed it on 8th December 1968 with Shirley McLaine in "The Bliss of Mrs Blossom".

It was converted into a Star Bingo Club and in 1970 the organ was removed and was installed in an electronics works near Perth, Western Australia.

A false ceiling was installed across from the front of the circle to the rear of the stage. It became a Granada Bingo Club using the former stalls area only, then an independent Lion Bingo Club before Gala Bingo took over in the 1990’s. In June 2018 it was re-named Buzz Bingo Club. The upper parts of the building are abandoned and in use for storage purposes.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on March 6, 2008 at 2:26 pm

A 2007 view of the exterior of the former Plaza Cinema:
http://flickr.com/photos/dayglowill/1242293988/

Biffaskin
Biffaskin on March 5, 2012 at 1:12 pm

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..

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