Not a member yet? Register now.

Search

Theaters News Links

Advanced search
 

Theater Guide

Now listing 26,627 theaters & 1,598 photos… more
Browse by...
• Architect
• Chain
• Firm
• Function
• Location
• Newest
• Photo
• Screens
• Seats
• Status
• Style
• Updated
• VR
 

Add Your Cinema Treasure!

Add Theater
Add Photo (offline)
Add Theater News
 

Newest Theaters

Nov 21 Cinemas West 4
Nov 21 Pathe Vaise
Nov 21 Vis Pathe di…
Nov 21 Louisville…
Nov 21 Grand Cinema
Nov 21 Broadlands Cinema
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 20 Welfare Hall…
Nov 20 Starlighter…
more new theaters
 

Recent Comments

Nov 21 Wichita Theatre… (28)
Nov 21 Arlene Schnitzer… (33)
Nov 21 Boardman's Art… (23)
Nov 21 Fox Figueroa… (25)
Nov 21 Commodore Theatre (21)
Nov 21 Orpheum Theatre (27)
Nov 21 Towne 3 (4)
Nov 21 Corral Drive-In (3)
Nov 21 Bonham Theatre… (4)
Nov 21 Pelham Picture… (21)
 

Updated Theaters

Nov 21 Colony Theatre
Nov 21 Village Playhouse
Nov 21 Hollywood Theatre
Nov 21 Egyptian 24
Nov 21 Odeon Lakeshore
Nov 21 Donner Theatre
Nov 21 North Adams Garden
Nov 21 Hudson Movieplex 8
Nov 21 Glenwood Theatre
Nov 21 Seville Theatre
more updated theaters
 
 
   Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Home » Theater Guide » Location » United Kingdom » England » Ashbourne, Derbyshire » Elite Cinema

Elite Cinema

Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England
Market Place
, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom DE6 1ES
(map)
Status: Closed
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Neo-Classical
Function: Nightclub, Shopping Center
Seats: 550
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Unknown
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
The Elite Cinema opened prior to 1937 in the small market town of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, it was run by local proprietor Frank S. Bromwich who also designed the cinema and ran the towns other cinema, the Empire Cinema.

The Elite Cinema is located in the main square-Market Place of the town and was much more upmarket than the Empire Cinema.

The facade is simple classical red brick with a stone parapet and a series of tall arched windows, and two shop units either side of the entry.

This has changed very little since it was built, with only the loss of the ornate metal torch lamps either side of the entry.

Internally there was a small lobby with a tiny box office window and doors into the stalls, and a staircase with metal handrails led up to the balcony. The auditorium had a simple barrel ceiling and there was an arched proscenium with ornate mouldings and small stage.
There was little other decoration apart from Art Deco style glass wall lights.

The Elit Cinema closed in 1976 and after a few years of lying empty was converted into a mini shopping arcade in the stalls area (no sign of the auditorium remained) and a nightclub in the balcony with a dancefloor inserted across from the bottom of the balcony cutting the auditorium in two horizontally.
The upper proscenium arch remained and some ceiling decoration.

It remains in this use in 2009.
Contributed by Woody

YOUR COMMENTS

 
photos taken in 1981 during the conversion to shops and nightclub
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/65272266/sizes/o/

photo from 2006, looking much the same apart from the loss of the torch lights
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/135587224/sizes/l/

press ads from 1948 for both the Elite and Empire
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2312800321/sizes/l/

press ad from 1965 for the Elite - note that the Empire in the ad underneath is now a ballroom
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3535848338/


posted by woody on Jul 21, 2009 at 7:16am
a photo from around 1910-1920 showing the large town house that was demolished to make way for the Elite
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3793473044/
posted by woody on Aug 6, 2009 at 4:18am
Comment
*

Notify me when someone replies to my comment?
Note: Please read our comment policy before posting. Comments which are off-topic, obscene, spam, or personal attacks will be removed. Help us keep the discussion productive!