Savoy Cinema

The Portland Theatre opened on 22nd February 1937 with Will Hay in "Windbag the Sailor". It was located on Forest Street backing onto Portland Street. It was purpose-built as a dual use live theatre and cinema. The stage was fully equipped and was 21 feet deep x 58 feet wide and had a safety curtain, orchestra pit and dressing rooms were provided. Seating in the auditorium was provided for 714 in the stalls and 333 in the circle and the seat covering was in an orange coloured material.

A Pantomime was staged every January for many years and stage shows were presented into the late-1950’s. It was operated by the Nottingham based Eskay circuit. The theatre was equipped for screening 3D films and CinemaScope format films in the mid-1950’s. Occasional wrestling matches were staged as well as pop shows in the 1960’s.

The Portland Theatre was taken over by the Star Cinemas circuit of Leeds in 1967. It re-furbished was re-named Savoy Cinema from 26th August 1968 with a Grand Gala evening, screening of Robert Shaw in "Custer of the West". The Savoy Cinema closed on 2nd September 1978 with Jodie Foster in "Candleshoe" and Walt Disney’s "Alice in Wonderland".

The building had been sold and was quickly converted into a Kwik Save supermarket. In 1990, the Portland/Savoy building was demolished for the site to become a car park for a Halfords store which had been built nearby and two small retail units were also built on the site.

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