Currently the Criccieth Family Church, the hall was connected to the Church of Wales and was known locally as ‘The Church Rooms’. It was bought by the Holiday Club Trust in the mid 1990’s, and renamed then to the ‘Holiday Club Hall’, and now, more recently, the Family Church. The Holiday Club has been a feature of every Summer since 1903 in Criccieth, operated by the Scripture Union Holiday Club (previously CSSM).
The first municipal building in the town was a structure known as the shambles which accommodated a series of butchers' stalls and dated back at least to the early 16th century. By the early 18th century the shambles was dilapidated and civic leaders decided to rebuild it: the remodelled structure was designed in the neoclassical style, built with hamstone rubble masonry and was completed in 1742.
The original design involved a symmetrical main frontage with two bays facing south onto the Market Square; the building was arcaded on the ground floor so that markets could be held with the main hall, reached by a wide staircase, on the first floor. The side elevations extended back four bays with sash windows on the first floor. The remains of the earlier structure was demolished to create a piazza in front of the building in 1836 and the building was refitted with a museum, reading room and library for the newly-formed Literary and Scientific Institute in 1849. The main hall was also used as a courtroom for county court and magistrates' court hearings in the 19th century.
In the late-19th century a group of local businessmen formed a company known as the “Crewkerne Fair and Markets Company” to raise finance for the remodelling of the building as part of the celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The work was carried out to a design by Thomas Benson of Yeovil and re-opened as the “Victoria Hall” in 1900. On the ground floor, there were two shop windows flanked by Tuscan order pilasters supporting a cornice and, on the first floor there was a tall round headed window and two shorter round headed windows flanked by Romanesque style columns supporting a wide stone arch. At roof level, there was a stepped gable with a central engaged pendant and three finials and, behind, a turret containing a bell. The building also incorporated a lower wing, to the right, with a doorway flanked by Corinthian order columns supporting a canopy on the ground floor and a casement window on the first floor. Internally, the principal room remained the main hall which featured a barrel vaulted ceiling.
The main hall was converted for use as a cinema and became known as the “Peoples Picture Palace”, operating under the management of Thomas Stembridge and showing silent films from 1917 to 1921. Crewkerne Urban District Council acquired the building from the Crewkerne Fair and Markets Company in 1956 and, following local government re-organisation in 1974, the town hall became the meeting place of Crewkerne Town Council. A local information centre was also established in the building.
Architect is HPA Architecture foe this Omniplex development, builders were J.H. Turkington & Sons Ltd., with the project build cost of £2.1M for the 8 screen multiplex, 4 restaurants and 415 parking spaces.
The Royal Theatre had been acquired by Empire Theatre (Cradley Heath) Ltd. by 1944, Walter Williams is noted as being the Director of this company, so maybe the Royal was acquired as a replacement for the Empire?
The 2nd Hippodrome Theatre was closed Saturday 30th October, 1937 with Tommy Handley topping the Variety Bill in his famous sketch ‘The Disorderly Room’.
Opening night has been confirmed as being 2nd April, 1923, an Easter Monday. In the newspaper article reporting the opening night to three well attended houses, the architects are given as Hamlyn & Wright, built by Messrs. J.G. Davies & Co. An inauguration ceremony had taken place two days before on the Saturday 31st March in the afternoon, but this was not the first Public performance, it was for invited guests and dignitaries only.
Opened as the New Empire Bingo Club in 1966, Licensee of the bingo club was Leslie Haworth who also operated a bingo club in Preston. This club attracted 800 players on opening night, with Coronation Street actor Kenneth Cope (at the time playing ‘Minnie’s Sonny Jim’ making a personal appearance.
Closed to the public during WW2, it continued as a cinema for RAF personnel only for RAF Cranfield as the ASTRA, operated by the RAF Kine Corps., the cinema had been built next to the accommodation area of the RAF base to cater for them, as the actual village of Cranfield was, and still is, very small!
The 1944 KYB has two cinemas located in Choppington, but both with an address of Slakeford, so may well be in the other KYB’s under that locaton. That said, the Memorial Cinema is listed as having an Electrocord sound system and 300 seats.
The Lyric Cinema, Slakeford is all that gets a mention though, so maybe this was when the name was changed and is the same building?
There was a second cinema, missing from the list, called the Star Cinema.
Opened by local Fairground operator H. Andrews on 13th October, 1930 at a cost of around £1.500, the Picture House had Kalee 7 projectors, a shallow balcony of just 2 or 3 rows, and was fitted with British Acoustic sound equipment. The first film shown is thought to have been ‘King of Jazz’, a 1930 musical review starring Bebe Daniels and Bing Crosby amongst others.
Passing to the ownership of Mr. A.J. Stratford in 1935, the name was also changed to the Regal Cinema. Seating capacity was declared as being for 270, with the sound system now by Morrison. Ten years later, in 1945, the sound was changed to BTH.
By 1956, Mrs. D.E. Tilley was in charge who made improvements to the cinema for fire safety reasons. Projectionist Mr. Norman Jefferies bought the cinema, and took control from 3rd August, 1958, he also ran the Regal Electric Co. and used his skills to make further improvements. He operated the cinema with his then, new, Wife from 1960 and had fitted Cinemascope as well as a false ceiling to improve heat retention in the auditorium.
The final night of the Regal Cinema came on 9th April, 1966 with the showing of ‘Von Ryans Express’ starring Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard. This wasn’t to be ‘The End’ though!
An extension was made with the intention to create a second screen, with the original auditorium retained. A new entrance foyer was also created. Most of the work was done by Mr. Jefferies and his wife June. And so, on 19th June, 1969, the Corsham Film Theatre was opened, but with the original auditorium only.
The stalls floor’s rake had been altered in angle to meet up with former balcony level area, thus creating a single level stadium plan cinema seating 180. A new, larger screen and tabs in red had been fitted. Original seats had been recovered and were set out in alternating rows of red and green. Although an area for a second screen and projection room had been built, they were never fitted out, as by 1971, the Jefferies had purchased a former church hall in Bath and set about converting this into a twin screen cinema.
The Corsham Film Theatre was closed on Thursday 8th June, 1976 showing ‘Mr. Superinvisable’, work continued on the new Bath twins. It was intended to be re-opened in late July, but when the Gemini Cinemas took off, it was then stated that the CFT was no longer viable with little local support.
The cinemas never re-opened. Plans were drawn up by Mr. Jefferies for 4 shops in 1985 which were approved by the planners. The building was demolished in May 1985 for the shops to be built.
Proprietors in the 1948 Kine Year Book is given as Hexham Entertainments Co. Ltd., booked at Queen’s Hall, Hexham, 310 seats and a 19ft. proscenium, whilst using Western Electric sound apparatus.
This cinema is still listed as open in the Kine Year Book of 1966, with the same operator and other details. However, CinemaScope has been added, so maybe the 1964 closure was to fit this, and the final closure date is incorrect?
Interestingly, the photograph shows that Bingo & Roulette was played on Tuesdays and Thuesdays only, at 7.30 & 9.30pm. Was it still open as a cinema during the other days I wonder?
Opened as the Victoria Pier & Pavilion in 1900, the pier was extended in length in 1903 to a length of 227 metres, as shown in the main picture on here, this was the second Pavilion building. The first two Pavilion buildings were destroyed by fires, this included the Bijou Theatre in the 1933 fire.
A third Pavilion was built in 1934. Changing to a nightclub and amusements arcade in the 1970’s, it became increasingly dilapidated during the 1980’s, and was sadly closed permanently in 2008 due to safety concerns. These concerns were borne out when a part of the pier collapsed onto the beach in 2017, and so, it was dismantled in 2018. Plans to realise another, shortened pier, as yet, have not materialised despite the best efforts of the Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust.
Currently the Criccieth Family Church, the hall was connected to the Church of Wales and was known locally as ‘The Church Rooms’. It was bought by the Holiday Club Trust in the mid 1990’s, and renamed then to the ‘Holiday Club Hall’, and now, more recently, the Family Church. The Holiday Club has been a feature of every Summer since 1903 in Criccieth, operated by the Scripture Union Holiday Club (previously CSSM).
The first municipal building in the town was a structure known as the shambles which accommodated a series of butchers' stalls and dated back at least to the early 16th century. By the early 18th century the shambles was dilapidated and civic leaders decided to rebuild it: the remodelled structure was designed in the neoclassical style, built with hamstone rubble masonry and was completed in 1742. The original design involved a symmetrical main frontage with two bays facing south onto the Market Square; the building was arcaded on the ground floor so that markets could be held with the main hall, reached by a wide staircase, on the first floor. The side elevations extended back four bays with sash windows on the first floor. The remains of the earlier structure was demolished to create a piazza in front of the building in 1836 and the building was refitted with a museum, reading room and library for the newly-formed Literary and Scientific Institute in 1849. The main hall was also used as a courtroom for county court and magistrates' court hearings in the 19th century. In the late-19th century a group of local businessmen formed a company known as the “Crewkerne Fair and Markets Company” to raise finance for the remodelling of the building as part of the celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The work was carried out to a design by Thomas Benson of Yeovil and re-opened as the “Victoria Hall” in 1900. On the ground floor, there were two shop windows flanked by Tuscan order pilasters supporting a cornice and, on the first floor there was a tall round headed window and two shorter round headed windows flanked by Romanesque style columns supporting a wide stone arch. At roof level, there was a stepped gable with a central engaged pendant and three finials and, behind, a turret containing a bell. The building also incorporated a lower wing, to the right, with a doorway flanked by Corinthian order columns supporting a canopy on the ground floor and a casement window on the first floor. Internally, the principal room remained the main hall which featured a barrel vaulted ceiling. The main hall was converted for use as a cinema and became known as the “Peoples Picture Palace”, operating under the management of Thomas Stembridge and showing silent films from 1917 to 1921. Crewkerne Urban District Council acquired the building from the Crewkerne Fair and Markets Company in 1956 and, following local government re-organisation in 1974, the town hall became the meeting place of Crewkerne Town Council. A local information centre was also established in the building.
Architect is HPA Architecture foe this Omniplex development, builders were J.H. Turkington & Sons Ltd., with the project build cost of £2.1M for the 8 screen multiplex, 4 restaurants and 415 parking spaces.
The Workmen’s Institute is still listed in the 1944 Kine Year Book, but no details provided regarding address, screen size or seating numbers.
The Royal Theatre had been acquired by Empire Theatre (Cradley Heath) Ltd. by 1944, Walter Williams is noted as being the Director of this company, so maybe the Royal was acquired as a replacement for the Empire?
J.B. Milne’s bingo clubs were called ‘All Square Bingo & Social Clubs’.
Looks to have been Slora’s Electric Theatre for a time from the contemporary picture that I have uploaded.
The 2nd Hippodrome Theatre was closed Saturday 30th October, 1937 with Tommy Handley topping the Variety Bill in his famous sketch ‘The Disorderly Room’.
Still there and derelict in 2024!
Opening night has been confirmed as being 2nd April, 1923, an Easter Monday. In the newspaper article reporting the opening night to three well attended houses, the architects are given as Hamlyn & Wright, built by Messrs. J.G. Davies & Co. An inauguration ceremony had taken place two days before on the Saturday 31st March in the afternoon, but this was not the first Public performance, it was for invited guests and dignitaries only.
Opened as the New Empire Bingo Club in 1966, Licensee of the bingo club was Leslie Haworth who also operated a bingo club in Preston. This club attracted 800 players on opening night, with Coronation Street actor Kenneth Cope (at the time playing ‘Minnie’s Sonny Jim’ making a personal appearance.
The Odeon Kettering, along with the pub and shops has been demolished.
Not quite true, the original Elgiva Hall is still extant, and a part of the library complex. This is located on Elgiva Lane, HP5 2JD.
The Elgiva Theatre is a good 200 yards up from the library on St. Mary’s Way, and very much a separate building!
Address is The Causeway, Billingham-on-Tees, TS23 2LJ.
Closed to the public during WW2, it continued as a cinema for RAF personnel only for RAF Cranfield as the ASTRA, operated by the RAF Kine Corps., the cinema had been built next to the accommodation area of the RAF base to cater for them, as the actual village of Cranfield was, and still is, very small!
The 1944 KYB has two cinemas located in Choppington, but both with an address of Slakeford, so may well be in the other KYB’s under that locaton. That said, the Memorial Cinema is listed as having an Electrocord sound system and 300 seats. The Lyric Cinema, Slakeford is all that gets a mention though, so maybe this was when the name was changed and is the same building?
There was a second cinema, missing from the list, called the Star Cinema.
Closed to bingo and demolished the same year, 1988.
Operated by Corwen & Chirk Cinemas in 1944.
Opened by local Fairground operator H. Andrews on 13th October, 1930 at a cost of around £1.500, the Picture House had Kalee 7 projectors, a shallow balcony of just 2 or 3 rows, and was fitted with British Acoustic sound equipment. The first film shown is thought to have been ‘King of Jazz’, a 1930 musical review starring Bebe Daniels and Bing Crosby amongst others.
Passing to the ownership of Mr. A.J. Stratford in 1935, the name was also changed to the Regal Cinema. Seating capacity was declared as being for 270, with the sound system now by Morrison. Ten years later, in 1945, the sound was changed to BTH.
By 1956, Mrs. D.E. Tilley was in charge who made improvements to the cinema for fire safety reasons. Projectionist Mr. Norman Jefferies bought the cinema, and took control from 3rd August, 1958, he also ran the Regal Electric Co. and used his skills to make further improvements. He operated the cinema with his then, new, Wife from 1960 and had fitted Cinemascope as well as a false ceiling to improve heat retention in the auditorium.
The final night of the Regal Cinema came on 9th April, 1966 with the showing of ‘Von Ryans Express’ starring Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard. This wasn’t to be ‘The End’ though!
An extension was made with the intention to create a second screen, with the original auditorium retained. A new entrance foyer was also created. Most of the work was done by Mr. Jefferies and his wife June. And so, on 19th June, 1969, the Corsham Film Theatre was opened, but with the original auditorium only.
The stalls floor’s rake had been altered in angle to meet up with former balcony level area, thus creating a single level stadium plan cinema seating 180. A new, larger screen and tabs in red had been fitted. Original seats had been recovered and were set out in alternating rows of red and green. Although an area for a second screen and projection room had been built, they were never fitted out, as by 1971, the Jefferies had purchased a former church hall in Bath and set about converting this into a twin screen cinema.
The Corsham Film Theatre was closed on Thursday 8th June, 1976 showing ‘Mr. Superinvisable’, work continued on the new Bath twins. It was intended to be re-opened in late July, but when the Gemini Cinemas took off, it was then stated that the CFT was no longer viable with little local support.
The cinemas never re-opened. Plans were drawn up by Mr. Jefferies for 4 shops in 1985 which were approved by the planners. The building was demolished in May 1985 for the shops to be built.
Proprietors in the 1948 Kine Year Book is given as Hexham Entertainments Co. Ltd., booked at Queen’s Hall, Hexham, 310 seats and a 19ft. proscenium, whilst using Western Electric sound apparatus.
This cinema is still listed as open in the Kine Year Book of 1966, with the same operator and other details. However, CinemaScope has been added, so maybe the 1964 closure was to fit this, and the final closure date is incorrect?
The Ritz’s website gives the address as 1-2, Burn Road, BT80 8ND.
The 1944 Kine Year Book has the name still as the Electric Palace, the proprietor is Herbert Frederick Robertson, booked at Manchester and Liverpool.
Interestingly, the photograph shows that Bingo & Roulette was played on Tuesdays and Thuesdays only, at 7.30 & 9.30pm. Was it still open as a cinema during the other days I wonder?
Opened as the Victoria Pier & Pavilion in 1900, the pier was extended in length in 1903 to a length of 227 metres, as shown in the main picture on here, this was the second Pavilion building. The first two Pavilion buildings were destroyed by fires, this included the Bijou Theatre in the 1933 fire.
A third Pavilion was built in 1934. Changing to a nightclub and amusements arcade in the 1970’s, it became increasingly dilapidated during the 1980’s, and was sadly closed permanently in 2008 due to safety concerns. These concerns were borne out when a part of the pier collapsed onto the beach in 2017, and so, it was dismantled in 2018. Plans to realise another, shortened pier, as yet, have not materialised despite the best efforts of the Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust.