Silver Cinema

115 Walsall Street,
Wednesbury, WS10 9BY

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Gaumont-British-Picture Corp., Ltd., Rank Organisation

Architects: H.L. Cherry, William Edward Trent, William Sydney Trent

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Gaumont, Odeon

Nearby Theaters

The interior in April 2000

Originally on this site was the 1915-built Picture House. It was closed and demolished in January 1938, and the new Gaumont opened on 10th October 1938. It was built by the Gaumont British Theatres chain, together with Associated Provincial Picture Houses.

The exterior featured a 60 feet tall square tower that had a flat top, and was covered with cream faiance tiles, the remainder of the facade was brick. Inside the auditorium, seating was provided in stalls and balcony levels. Illumination was via troughs of concealed lighting.

Later taken over by the Rank Organisation, it was re-named Odeon on 9th March 1964. It was taken over by an independent operator from 30th January 1972, and re-named Silver Cinema which closed on 19th April 1974.

It was converted into an independent bingo club, and this continued until closing as a Walkers Bingo Club in February 2010. Another victim of the ban on smoking in public places, and the recession. In February 2014 the auditorium suffered damage from a fire.

In August 2017 plans were proposed to convert the building into a 900-seat, 5-screen cinema as part of a 2 million Pound investment.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on April 21, 2010 at 9:23 am

A close-up view of the entrance to the Gaumont in June 1949:
http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/wednesbury.jpg
Photographed as the Odeon in around 1965:
http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/wednesbury2.jpg

70mmbobbyj
70mmbobbyj on February 9, 2014 at 6:08 am

I have uploaded a photo of the damage caused by a recent fire.The details can be found on the BBC news website.

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