ABC Brighton

I was based at this cinema as a zone relief projectionist, the chief at that time was a Mr John Eaton. My job was to give single man cover for staff shortages, illness and holiday etc. Though it turned out there was a little more to it than that. It turn out I was there to easy the transitions from multiple manning of the companies projection boxes to single manning working both single and double shifts. As has been said this cinema had two fully fitted restaurants and a cafe, a ballroom and a under ground car park. What as not been said was that this cinema had a full size stage and dressing room which were never fitted out. It also had two entrance, one on Brigton sea front and one in East Street. It also had something I have only seen in modern cinemas a passager lift. When this cinema was built, it was built with two projection boxes, one was built into the roof and was never completted, the other was built into and under the front of the circle. I alway found it funny that no one ever finished building parts of the cinema yet on the other hand no finished taking it apart. IE the restaurant they simple closed them and boarded them up and left them as they were for nearly twenty years. The ballroom become the managers flat from some time. The running cost's of this cinema meant who ever owned it found it hard to make it pay it way, which lead to it's being closed down for good.

The ABC was quadrupled in 1975 and had an 850 seat cinema in the former circle and 3 screens in the former orchestra stalls which seated 346, 284 and 231. The main screen in the former balcony closed in May 1991. The 3 smaller screens continued until they were closed on 20th January 2000.

Here is a 2005 photograph by woody; It shows the secondary entrance that gave prominence to the building on the sea front Promenade:
http://flickr.com/photos/woody1969/61976987/in/pool-83469653@N00/

A photo of the main (East Street) entrance here - after conversion to a pub.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/93135402/

More photo's of the Brighton ABC (under Cannon) here:

Exterior:-
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/374503284/

Screen 1:-
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/374503282/
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/374503280/

Restaurant or Dance Hall:-
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/374503278/

i really need some info about the night club in Unit 5 (floor 1 and 2, east street) -- Toppers? --
cllr roy pennington

Another exterior here :-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/601347431/

Here is a link to a photograph of the Savoy Cinema in 1930 and a potted history of the building:-
http://www.terramedia.co.uk/brighton/Savoy.htm