Located in the North Wales town of Flint, once the County town of Flintshire. Built for Deeside Enterprises Cinemas, the Plaza Cinema opened on 26th December 1938 with Gracie Fields in "We're Going to be Rich". The exterior was built in grey brick and was rather 'boxy' looking. The only relief being three decorated square grilles above the canopy which contained mythical figures.
Inside the auditorium, seating was provided in stalls and circle. There were silver columns on each side of the 35 feet wide proscenium opening. Above the proscenium were panels which contained signs of the Zodiac, and there were relief figures on the side-walls, again given a silver treatment to allow lighting to be played off them. The ceiling is stepped down in wavy paterns and contained concealed lighting for the elaborate Holophane lighting system.
The Plaza Cinema was taken over by the independent operator Wedgewood Cinemas in 1965 and the auditorium was re-decorated in two shades of blue with cream trimmings. It was later re-named Wedgewood Cinema. Taken over by Mecca Ltd. on 1st January 1975. Despite local opposition, they were granted a bingo licence and the cinema closed on 1st August 1975 with Victor Garber in "Godspell" and Graham Chapman in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail".
It then began use as a Mecca Bingo Club which continued for many years. In recent years it has been operated as the Palace bingo club by the same operators as the Palace bingo club in Conwy.
The former Plaza Cinema is a Grade II Listed building.
Contributed by Ken Roe
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