A photograph of the building as the Bream Miners' Welfare Cinema can be seen here: http://www.sungreen.co.uk/Bream-Forest-of-Dean/Bream-Miners-Welfare-Cinema.htm
On Saturday 26th April 2008 I was given a very warm welcome by Ian Bellion and his team for a double bill of “Our Man in Havana”, starring Alec Guinness, and Buster Keaton in “The Cameraman”. It was lovely to see such devotion to the art of cinema showmanship. See my photographs.
The very helpful lady at the library in Banchory has provided some further information – having spoken to a local lady whose brother was an assistant projectionist at the Glen! That cinema was, as suspected, situated in the Town Hall. It started in the 1940s, which ties in with my information in the Overview.
It also turns out that the Picture House didn’t open until 1954 – hence its non-appearance in the earlier Kinematograph Year Books! The Glen appears to have carried on for a while after the Picture House opened, operating under the name The Banchory Cinema for a while.
Further information has come to light about this cinema. When I wrote the above overview I was surprised that it appeared that this building had not been erected until 1957. Well, it hadn’t been! I don’t know when it was built, but it wasn’t purpose-built for films, as it started life in the 1910s or 1920s as a skating rink, before becoming a theatre and even showing films, from 1924 to 1929, before becoming a dance hall until 1952. That use ceased after a few years, and the New Cinema opened in 1957.
Having done some further research, I can clarify my opening comment. It isn’t that the Sura claims to be one of the oldest cinemas in Luxembourg, but that the first film shows in Luxembourg took place in Echternach, making the town a historic place for cinema exhibition in the country. However, those shows were not at the Sura, which didn’t open until 1991!
According to Picturehouse publicity in November 2015, the auditorium capacities are: Screen 1: 341, Screen 2: 177, Screen 3: 131, Screen 4: 127, Screen 5: 82, Screen 6: 78 and Screen 7: 65. A total of 1,001 seats.
As can be seen from my photographs, when I visited in January 2004 the cinema was due to re-open, as Cineplex, that March. I am unsure whether it did re-open and, if so, when it subsequently closed.
Cinemark certainly brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to the UK exhibition scene! See also their interior design for the UCI/Vue at Northampton. It’s a pity they decided to call it a day in the UK after building these two multiplexes.
The Regal was still operating in July 2003, when manager Mike Flook made me very welcome (we had first met at the Rebel, Bude, when he ran that cinema) and I was able to take my series of photographs.
I’ve just uploaded some photos I took when I visited The Point as easyCinema in July 2003. Running from May 2003 to May 2006, this was either a bold entrepreneurial venture or a foolish odyssey, depending on how one views this fascinating footnote to UK film exhibition.
Appalled by what he regarded as a waste of capacity, easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou was determined to end what he called ‘rip-off cinema’ and make maximum use of the seats available. His answer was to adopt the easyJet model, and offer seats at very low prices in advance, with the price increasing as show time approached. In addition, tickets would have to be booked on-line, saving the expense of a box office. Patrons entered the auditorium via a turnstile, operated from the bar code on their booking confirmation. They were free to bring along their own food and drink – and asked to take away their rubbish, all these measures being aimed at reducing the number of staff on duty.
But no cinema can operate without any staff at all, so a computer terminal was set up in the otherwise rather sparse foyer for patrons who either just turned up, or who were unable to book on-line in advance, and the staff mainly provided assistance with this.
An amusing consequence of the electronic turnstiles was the notices urging patrons to go to the toilet before entering the auditorium – as leaving and re-entry was not permitted for a specified time after entry!
Stelios tub-thumped an advance ticket price of just 20p. Not surprisingly, the major distributors were not at all keen on this, and his failure to obtain first run films signalled the death knell for his bold experiment. In the event, he persevered for three years, quite an achievement in itself.
As for me, yes, I got my 20p movie! I saw “Anger Management”, starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, on Thursday 10th July 2003, when I took these photographs. As a comparison, price-wise, I was then paying between £4.00 and £5.25, depending on the time of day, at my local Odeon in Southend-on-Sea.
Following on from Ken’s narrative above, the Brent Walker Group acquired the Kursaal complex in the 1970s. The amusement park was sold off for a housing development and the main Kursaal buildings were to be brought back to life. Unfortunately, the Group encountered financial difficulties, and was unable to proceed.
Eventually, the buildings were acquired by the Rowallan Group, which undertook a multi-million pound restoration. The ‘new’ Kursaal opened in 1998, with a bowling alley, restaurants and amusement arcade on the ground floor and a multi-purpose space on the first floor. Sadly, films have not featured in the entertainments on offer since re-opening, but it is lovely to see this famous sea front landmark back to its best.
As Seth says, this is a remarkable small town cinema, run with much loving care by a team of dedicated volunteers.
I was fortunate to visit Southwold on a number of occasions before the work began and during the cinema’s construction. Seeing the original cart shed it’s hard imagine how it could be transformed into such a splendid cinema. In May 2002, only a short while after the cinema opened, I was privileged to arrange a visit by The Cinema Theatre Association, so members could inspect this amazing cinema.
The second screen was originally called the Ritz. The intention was to achieve a full restoration of the Edwardian interior. The entrance is to the right of the Connaught Theatre. The first film was “Nell”, starring Jodie Foster, on 3rd June 1995. On my visit, in August 2000, I saw the children’s film “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” at the Ritz. This screen has subsequently been renamed Connaught Studio.
I’ve uploaded photos of Peter Lee’s models of this cinema (the original cinema and the Apollo addition). These were on display, with models of the Regal, Minehead, and the Playhouse, Beverley, during the visit by the Cinema Theatre Association in July 2000.
In February 2000, when I visited the Coliseum to see “Inspector Gadget”, the cinema screen was sited the other side of the disco dance floor, viewed over the dance floor from a row of cinema seats. Film shows were held in the early evening, before the disco started! The cinema/disco was at first floor level, and there were no indications of the original cinema auditorium.
Judging by the June 2006 photograph of the cinema as the Vue, it appears that the imaginative cinema/film-styled statue, that I photographed in January 2000, and which stood outside the cinema, has been moved. I do hope it is still on display somewhere close by.
A photograph of the building as the Bream Miners' Welfare Cinema can be seen here: http://www.sungreen.co.uk/Bream-Forest-of-Dean/Bream-Miners-Welfare-Cinema.htm
On Saturday 26th April 2008 I was given a very warm welcome by Ian Bellion and his team for a double bill of “Our Man in Havana”, starring Alec Guinness, and Buster Keaton in “The Cameraman”. It was lovely to see such devotion to the art of cinema showmanship. See my photographs.
The Discovery Museum closed on 31st July 2015. Happily, the Century Theatre is continuing to operate as normal.
The very helpful lady at the library in Banchory has provided some further information – having spoken to a local lady whose brother was an assistant projectionist at the Glen! That cinema was, as suspected, situated in the Town Hall. It started in the 1940s, which ties in with my information in the Overview.
It also turns out that the Picture House didn’t open until 1954 – hence its non-appearance in the earlier Kinematograph Year Books! The Glen appears to have carried on for a while after the Picture House opened, operating under the name The Banchory Cinema for a while.
Further information has come to light about this cinema. When I wrote the above overview I was surprised that it appeared that this building had not been erected until 1957. Well, it hadn’t been! I don’t know when it was built, but it wasn’t purpose-built for films, as it started life in the 1910s or 1920s as a skating rink, before becoming a theatre and even showing films, from 1924 to 1929, before becoming a dance hall until 1952. That use ceased after a few years, and the New Cinema opened in 1957.
In April 2005, the site of the ABC/Central was occupied by a Safeway supermarket.
Having done some further research, I can clarify my opening comment. It isn’t that the Sura claims to be one of the oldest cinemas in Luxembourg, but that the first film shows in Luxembourg took place in Echternach, making the town a historic place for cinema exhibition in the country. However, those shows were not at the Sura, which didn’t open until 1991!
The first cinema on this site was the Gala Bioscoop, which operated from 17th October 1910 to 1912.
The Cinema Pathe then operated from 1913 until 29th April 1930, before the Mabi opened.
After the Mabi closed, in 1994, it was not until 1997 that the building was converted into the current hotel.
According to Picturehouse publicity in November 2015, the auditorium capacities are: Screen 1: 341, Screen 2: 177, Screen 3: 131, Screen 4: 127, Screen 5: 82, Screen 6: 78 and Screen 7: 65. A total of 1,001 seats.
As can be seen from my photographs, when I visited in January 2004 the cinema was due to re-open, as Cineplex, that March. I am unsure whether it did re-open and, if so, when it subsequently closed.
Cinemark certainly brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to the UK exhibition scene! See also their interior design for the UCI/Vue at Northampton. It’s a pity they decided to call it a day in the UK after building these two multiplexes.
The Regal was still operating in July 2003, when manager Mike Flook made me very welcome (we had first met at the Rebel, Bude, when he ran that cinema) and I was able to take my series of photographs.
I’ve just uploaded some photos I took when I visited The Point as easyCinema in July 2003. Running from May 2003 to May 2006, this was either a bold entrepreneurial venture or a foolish odyssey, depending on how one views this fascinating footnote to UK film exhibition.
Appalled by what he regarded as a waste of capacity, easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou was determined to end what he called ‘rip-off cinema’ and make maximum use of the seats available. His answer was to adopt the easyJet model, and offer seats at very low prices in advance, with the price increasing as show time approached. In addition, tickets would have to be booked on-line, saving the expense of a box office. Patrons entered the auditorium via a turnstile, operated from the bar code on their booking confirmation. They were free to bring along their own food and drink – and asked to take away their rubbish, all these measures being aimed at reducing the number of staff on duty.
But no cinema can operate without any staff at all, so a computer terminal was set up in the otherwise rather sparse foyer for patrons who either just turned up, or who were unable to book on-line in advance, and the staff mainly provided assistance with this.
An amusing consequence of the electronic turnstiles was the notices urging patrons to go to the toilet before entering the auditorium – as leaving and re-entry was not permitted for a specified time after entry!
Stelios tub-thumped an advance ticket price of just 20p. Not surprisingly, the major distributors were not at all keen on this, and his failure to obtain first run films signalled the death knell for his bold experiment. In the event, he persevered for three years, quite an achievement in itself.
As for me, yes, I got my 20p movie! I saw “Anger Management”, starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, on Thursday 10th July 2003, when I took these photographs. As a comparison, price-wise, I was then paying between £4.00 and £5.25, depending on the time of day, at my local Odeon in Southend-on-Sea.
Following on from Ken’s narrative above, the Brent Walker Group acquired the Kursaal complex in the 1970s. The amusement park was sold off for a housing development and the main Kursaal buildings were to be brought back to life. Unfortunately, the Group encountered financial difficulties, and was unable to proceed.
Eventually, the buildings were acquired by the Rowallan Group, which undertook a multi-million pound restoration. The ‘new’ Kursaal opened in 1998, with a bowling alley, restaurants and amusement arcade on the ground floor and a multi-purpose space on the first floor. Sadly, films have not featured in the entertainments on offer since re-opening, but it is lovely to see this famous sea front landmark back to its best.
As Seth says, this is a remarkable small town cinema, run with much loving care by a team of dedicated volunteers.
I was fortunate to visit Southwold on a number of occasions before the work began and during the cinema’s construction. Seeing the original cart shed it’s hard imagine how it could be transformed into such a splendid cinema. In May 2002, only a short while after the cinema opened, I was privileged to arrange a visit by The Cinema Theatre Association, so members could inspect this amazing cinema.
Hi mindflowers and Playhousegoer. Here’s the exterior photo I took when I visited the UCI in February 2002. No interior photos, I’m afraid.
I also photographed this cinema in October 2012, when it was The Mango Tree restaurant.
When I visited in March 2001 the Lounge was still standing – but only just! Demolition was clearly not too far away.
According to its website, the Junction opened on 7th November 2009.
When I visited, in October 2000 (see my photograph), the building was in use as Virgo’s function rooms.
The second screen was originally called the Ritz. The intention was to achieve a full restoration of the Edwardian interior. The entrance is to the right of the Connaught Theatre. The first film was “Nell”, starring Jodie Foster, on 3rd June 1995. On my visit, in August 2000, I saw the children’s film “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” at the Ritz. This screen has subsequently been renamed Connaught Studio.
I’ve uploaded photos of Peter Lee’s models of this cinema (the original cinema and the Apollo addition). These were on display, with models of the Regal, Minehead, and the Playhouse, Beverley, during the visit by the Cinema Theatre Association in July 2000.
As can be seen from my photograph, Angel Leisure was operating the bingo in the former Charlton at least until April 2000.
In February 2000, when I visited the Coliseum to see “Inspector Gadget”, the cinema screen was sited the other side of the disco dance floor, viewed over the dance floor from a row of cinema seats. Film shows were held in the early evening, before the disco started! The cinema/disco was at first floor level, and there were no indications of the original cinema auditorium.
Judging by the June 2006 photograph of the cinema as the Vue, it appears that the imaginative cinema/film-styled statue, that I photographed in January 2000, and which stood outside the cinema, has been moved. I do hope it is still on display somewhere close by.