Mike Blakemore’s comments are interesting, as the 1944 KYB give the owners as being the Broadway Cinema Circuit (N.C. Smith) General and Booking Manager B.H. Paul, booked at hall.
This was the Queen’s Hall rather than the Queen’s Rooms, which were demolished for the Berwick Theatre to be built thereon. This building could not, physically, fit 1000 persons inside!
The Kinema/Electric was on the High Street, a wooden structure that closed when this cinema opened in 1938. The Electric was retained as offices for a while, but was eventually demolished for further shops to be built. This cinema was never known as the Electric or Kinema. Locals sometimes referred to it as the ‘New Cinema’ if they were old enough to remember the Electric in the High Street (such as my Great Grandma did!)
This cinema would have passed into Rank Theatres (Northern Ireland) Ltd.’s ownership in 1955, when Curran Theatres Ltd. sold many of their Belfast cinemas to them.
Shown as operated by Irish Theatres Ltd. in the 1944 KYB, seating reduced to 900, proscenium width 27ft., stage 30ft. deep, five dressing rooms. Bizarrely, films delivered by Steamship Service!
The 1944 KYB shows owners of the 496 seat Senlac as being Paxon & Chambers with BTH sound equipment, the 1966 KYB shows the proprietor of the 376 seat Abbey Theatre as being a Mr G.S. Field, RCA sound equipment in use.
Built as an Oddfellows Hall, the tablet is inscribed with year 1895, it is currently (2023) the King’s Church. Postcode is SO32 1AA.
Checking StreetView, there is no sign of this former cinema along the length of Low Lane, so it has been demolished.
The cinema was a conversion of a chapel, I’ve uploaded a photo of it.
Mike Blakemore’s comments are interesting, as the 1944 KYB give the owners as being the Broadway Cinema Circuit (N.C. Smith) General and Booking Manager B.H. Paul, booked at hall.
The final bingo operators were Walkers Bingo.
The 1944 KYB has the owners as the Lyons Estate.
This building is being used for storage, so being kept watertight, but sadly not secure as Urban Explorers have gained entry on several occasions.
The actual name of this cinema was the Lyric Picture Playhouse, operated in 1944 by the Birmingham Lyric Picture Playhouse Ltd. Source: 1944 KYB.
Bingo operations will have commenced after 1960, when the gambling laws were eased in the UK. Last operated as Roxy Bingo.
The Strand was built for, and operated by, Bideford Entertainments Ltd.
This was the Queen’s Hall rather than the Queen’s Rooms, which were demolished for the Berwick Theatre to be built thereon. This building could not, physically, fit 1000 persons inside!
The Kinema/Electric was on the High Street, a wooden structure that closed when this cinema opened in 1938. The Electric was retained as offices for a while, but was eventually demolished for further shops to be built. This cinema was never known as the Electric or Kinema. Locals sometimes referred to it as the ‘New Cinema’ if they were old enough to remember the Electric in the High Street (such as my Great Grandma did!)
W.J. Hogan operated this cinema under the Savoy Picture House Ltd. name, along with the Clonard and Popular cinemas.
Architect Robert Sharpe Hill designed a shelter for the cinema in 1928.
This cinema would have passed into Rank Theatres (Northern Ireland) Ltd.’s ownership in 1955, when Curran Theatres Ltd. sold many of their Belfast cinemas to them.
Shown as operated by Irish Theatres Ltd. in the 1944 KYB, seating reduced to 900, proscenium width 27ft., stage 30ft. deep, five dressing rooms. Bizarrely, films delivered by Steamship Service!
Curran Theatres sold many of their cinemas to Rank in 1955, so this was likely when this cinema changed ownership.
To be correct, the High Street cinema replacing this one was called the Palladium Super Cinema.
As you can see from the first picture, the Public Hall was originally taller.
The 1944 KYB shows owners of the 496 seat Senlac as being Paxon & Chambers with BTH sound equipment, the 1966 KYB shows the proprietor of the 376 seat Abbey Theatre as being a Mr G.S. Field, RCA sound equipment in use.
Called the Star Theatre in the 1944 KYB also.
Both the Queen’s Theatre and the Landmark Theatre have now been re-opened.
The 1944 KYB lists the operators as Hartley & Sons, Ltd., 700 seats, British Acoustic sound system.
The 1944 KYB has this cinema listed as the People’s Palace with 668 seats, the same stage and sound details as per main text on this page.
Also listed, under the same operators in the 1944 KYB, Mihaly sound equipment, prices from 3d to 1s, 750 seats.