Strand Cinema Bideford

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Uploaded on: April 21, 2026

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Cinema Architect David Nye (1904 – 1986) the Strand was Nye’s fourteenth cinema, out of a total of seventeen. Nye began his cinema career in 1935 opening ‘The Cinema’ in Sevenoaks on 4th November seating 1150. Others including the Grade II listed Rex Berkhamsted was his most outstanding design and is still operating. Embassy Bridgend which although not completed because of WW2, however, it did have his finest designed proscenium finished in silver and gold featuring a frame within a frame by interior designers Mollo & Egan, with whom Nye had collaborated on eleven of his previous cinemas, the Bridgend Embassy opened on 30th October 1939. There were to be two more cinemas, the 1001 seat State cinema in St. Budeaux, North Plymouth, opening 16th November 1939 after the commencement of WW2 and finally the Astoria in Ebbw Vale which squeezed in it’s quick opening on Thursday 30th November 1939.

Ron Knee