Electric Cinema
Fore Street,
Devonport,
PL1
Fore Street,
Devonport,
PL1
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Additional Info
Architects: Bertie Crewe
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Public Hall, Electric Theatre
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Located in Devonport, near Plymouth, Devon, at the top of Fore Street. The Public Hall, which had shown films in the early-1900’s, was converted into the Electric Theatre by Guy Prance and opened in December 1909, the same year the Tivoli Cinema was opened directly opposite. Seating was provided for 700. It was later taken over by Sydney Boultwood and was closed in 1930, to be rebuilt to the plans of noted theatre architect Bertie Crewe.
The new Electric Cinema opened in late-1931. Seating was now provided for 2,300. It had a 70ft wide proscenium. There was a large stage and six dressing rooms. It was operated by the independent Electric Theatre (Devonport) Ltd.
The Electric Cinema was destroyed by German bombs on 24th April 1941, the same bombing raid also destroyed the Tivoli Cinema and so badly damaged the Hippodrome Theatre, that it never re-opened.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
There is a picture on this webpage of Fore Street after the bombing raid; the caption indicates that the Electric Cinema’s Tower can be seen in the distance,
When the cinema was reconstructed internally in 1931 to the designs of Bertie Crewe it had a proscenium opening 70ft wide and a screen 40ft by 26ft. The vast, cantilevered balcony spanned 100ft with no visible means of support. Despite being built of the most fireproof materials throughout, it was no match for the Luftwaffe.