Comments from Ian

Showing 76 - 100 of 1,764 comments

Ian
Ian commented about Rendezvous Cinema on Oct 9, 2020 at 11:16 am

Debatable – since the facade and foyer were incorporated from a pre-existing building, whilst the extension that formed the cinema has been completely removed, I would say this is “Demolished”. Still it is nice to learn that the dome has survived.

Ian
Ian commented about London Hippodrome Theatre on Oct 4, 2020 at 2:46 am

Yes it is the venue for the 1969 London performances, the last time she appeared on stage in London.

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on Oct 4, 2020 at 12:50 am

The changes to life (and losses) caused by this virus are dreadful and depressing. I have, having read the above reports, just checked seat availability for the two showings today for Tenet at the OLS. The circle is closed, and in the stalls there are 3 seats booked for this afternoon and none for this evening. On my two visits to my local cinema the audiences have been extremely sparce. Cinemas simply cannot exist on this level of business, and the studios witholding releases is adding to the problem. There seems no way out, it is a vicious downward spiral.

Best wishes for your recovery, and keep safe everyone.

Ian
Ian commented about Majestic Cinema on Aug 28, 2020 at 1:19 am

On selected evening horror films are screened, using the balcony as the seating area.

Photographs from August 2020 FACADE

SIDE PASSAGE

SIDE VIEW

Ian
Ian commented about Soho Theatre Walthamstow on Aug 26, 2020 at 7:44 am

By the end of August 2020, all tenents in the buiding had vacated and restoration began in earnest. For the first time in half a century the Pit console of the Christie organ was raised – and was in a very sorry state, having been left to rot, and submerged in the 2011 flood. The stage console is in only slightly better condition after nearly two decades of cold, damp and pigeons!

GRANADA AUDITORIUM

GRANADA PIT ORGAN CONSOLE

Ian
Ian commented about Sleaford Cinema on Aug 8, 2020 at 3:12 am

By June 2020 it was being refurbished as “Heat”

PICTUREDROME

Ian
Ian commented about Cannon Stevenage on Jul 31, 2020 at 3:39 am

Demolished – probably towards end of C20th.

Ian
Ian commented about Watersmeet Centre on Apr 20, 2020 at 3:22 am

Opened 1st May 1975.

Ian
Ian commented about Grand Theatre on Apr 20, 2020 at 2:04 am

Some additional information:–

It was listed in the Kine Year Book of 1914 with 1,100 seats, by 1954 was reported as having 905 seats, two dressing rooms and a stage 16 feet deep with a proscenium 22 feet wide and was run by Ogden Theatres Circuit ( a small Manchester company running 11 cinemas) who seem to have owned it for a considerable time. It is also listed in Dobson’s Theatre Year Book 1948 – a live theatre directory – with 1,048 seats. There are reports that the theatre staged live shows on Sundays throughout the War. Offered ‘for sale’, together with La Scala Cinema in Hollinwood, in February 1958, it was purchased by the church of St Mary (The Immaculate Conception) whose 1845 building became unsafe and required rebuilding. The Grand was converted and consecrated as a temporary place of worship in 1959 and continued until a new church opened in 1964. The Grand then underwent a variety of uses including the Christian Cultural Centre. Seriously damaged by a fire in 2012, it was demolished not long after.

Ian
Ian commented about Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square on Mar 18, 2020 at 6:54 am

Not all cinemas closed – yet. I have just seen Military Wives this morning at the Savoy in Grantham. They have stopped doing allocated seating, are doing extra cleaning, and ask patrons to allow two empty seats between parties (as well as all the usual advice). In fact there were only four of us in so isolation was not a problem at 10:30am.

Ian
Ian commented about Venue 73 on Feb 18, 2020 at 5:49 am

Interior shot from 2002 here:–

RITZ BALLROOM AUDITORIUM

Ian
Ian commented about Venue 73 on Feb 18, 2020 at 3:42 am

In 2017 the Ritz was forced to close by the Ritz Hotel in London who threatened legal action if the 70+ year old name was not changed. It reopened later the same year as Venue 73.

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/ritz-ballroom-forced-close-all-future-events-cancelled-1108386

Ian
Ian commented about Heath Theatre on Feb 5, 2020 at 11:23 am

If the illustratration really is the former Heath Theatre then it appears to survive as the Cote Brasserie

https://www.google.com/maps/Fox Theatre.0009556,-0.10562,3a,75y,278.75h,90.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1siobiiWeR1ZJpPnwHq8ESdA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Salisbury on Dec 9, 2019 at 1:50 am

Photos taken in November 2019 here:–

FACADE

FOYER

SCREEN 1 – BALCONY

SCREEN 5 – CAFE

Ian
Ian commented about Adelphi Theatre on Nov 22, 2019 at 4:50 am

Photos (as Buzz Bingo Club) from October 2019 here:–

ADELPHI – EXTERIOR

ADELPHI – BALLROOM

ADELPHI – BALCONY

ADELPHI – FRONT STALLS & STAGE

Ian
Ian commented about Empire Cinemas on Oct 29, 2019 at 2:12 am

Photos of the Empire taken in October 2019 here:–

SLOUGH EMPIRE – ENTRANCE

SLOUGH EMPIRE – SCREEN 6

SLOUGH EMPIRE – SCREEN 5

SLOUGH EMPIRE – SCREEN 4, PLANET THEATRE

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on Oct 25, 2019 at 6:06 am

Sad news indeed. His knowledge and inexperience were vast.

Ian
Ian commented about Core Theatre on Oct 5, 2019 at 1:44 am

Another exterior view taken in September 2019

CORBY CUBE

Ian
Ian commented about Savoy Cinema on Oct 5, 2019 at 1:38 am

An exterior view of the side from September 2019 here:–

CORBY SAVOY

Ian
Ian commented about Old Savoy Theatre on Sep 27, 2019 at 12:43 am

Open again as the Deco Theatre, with live shows only. Photos from September 2019:–

SAVOY THEATRE – EXTERIOR

SAVOY THEATRE – FORMER SCREEN 2

SAVOY THEATRE – PROSCENIUM FROM CIRCLE

SAVOY THEATRE – AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE

Ian
Ian commented about Odeon Corby on Sep 23, 2019 at 2:50 am

Some photos from September 2019 here:–

ODEON CORBY – FACADE

ODEON CORBY – AUDITORIUM EXTERIOR

ODEON CORBY – PROSCENIUM & SPLAY WALL

ODEON CORBY – SPLAY WALL

Ian
Ian commented about Gaumont Rose Hill on Sep 23, 2019 at 2:42 am

Photos from September 2019 here:–

GAUMONT ROSE HILL – EXTERIOR AS MECCA

GAUMONT ROSE HILL – AUDITORIUM TO REAR

GAUMONT ROSE HILL – ACROSS AUDITORIUM

GAUMONT ROSE HILL – CIRCLE FOYER

and an older photo from 1988ish showing the facade better :–

GAUMONT ROSE HILL – AS TOP RANK

Ian
Ian commented about Queen's Hall on Sep 10, 2019 at 8:25 am

Photo taken in 1998, not long before the building was demolished:–

QUEENS HALL

Ian
Ian commented about Omniplex Sutton on Sep 10, 2019 at 1:13 am

Photos of the Empire, taken in 2019, here:–

FOYER

SCREEN 8 – IMPACT BLUE

SCREEN 3 – IMPACT RED

SCREEN 2 – D-BOX

Ian
Ian commented about Savoy Cinema on Aug 12, 2019 at 3:47 am

I think that “rebuilt” is an unfortunate choice of word, the original cinema was adapted with two screens below the balcony, which was extended forwards to create a three screen venue. The fourth screen was added later on the original stage.

SEATING