ABC Leeds
Vicar Lane,
Leeds,
LS2 7NL
Vicar Lane,
Leeds,
LS2 7NL
3 people
favorited this theater
Opened as the Ritz Cinema on 19th November 1934 with Will Hay in “Those Were the Days” and Warren Williams in “Upper World”. It was designed by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) in-house architect William R. Glen and seating was provided for 1,100 in the stalls and 850 in the circle.
The decorative scheme was mainly Art Deco style but there were touches of a semi-Atmospheric design via painted panels on the side-walls that showed vistas of cypress trees and temples. The Ritz Cinema was equipped with a Compton 3Manual/10Ranks organ, the console had an illuminated surround and was on a lift. It was opened by Lewis Gerard.
In 1959 the facade was ‘modernised’ by a covering of sheets of metal cladding and a light-box sign was installed to display the film titles. The Ritz Cinema was re-named ABC from 25th May 1959.
In July 1969 it was closed for twinning, re-opening in April 1970 as ABC 1 & 2 with 620 seats in the former stalls and 867 in the former circle. In March 1974 ABC 2 in the former stalls was sub-divided into two screens with 474 and 236 seats.
In 1986 the ABC was taken over by Cannon Cinemas and re-named, they in turn were taken over by MGM and it became the MGM from May 1993.
In 1998 it had become the ABC again but it was reported to be up for sale. The ABC closed on 17th February 2000 with ABC screen 1 in the former circle showing “American Beauty”, screen 2 “Double Jeopardy” and Bollywood film “Shaheed Uddham Singh” in screen 3.
It remained closed and shuttered until February 2006, when it was demolished.
Contributed by
KenRoe
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
Thanks for posting the pics of the cinemas in their last sorry state; if there had been one cinema in Leeds I would love to have seen resurrected it would have been the ABC. Many happy times spent there, especially in the small cinemas with the strangely positioned aisles and bizarre sound.
photos taken (i think) in 2001
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2121480102/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2120699815/
A few pictures from 1986 here:–
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Always a good cinema to relieve when I was in ABC Cinema management as it was always a busy house. Use to enjoy working in the Advance Booking Office there.
A set of four vintage photographs of the ABC:
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Whereabouts on Vicar Lane was the ABC? Whats replaced it?
The ABC was at the end of Vicar lane next to the A64 ring road.The last time i was down there they hadn’t built anything it was just empty waste ground!!! what a shame and a waste.I loved that place far too many good memories to mention.
Multi-photographed portfolio of ABC Vicar Lane photographs on the Leeds Library and Information project ‘Leodis’. Most photographs in relation to the nearby expressway construction in the late 1960’s; but more recent, dormant, photos from the mid-2000’s.
www.leodis.net Easy way in is using the Advanced Search facility right from the word go, linked immediately under the main heading. Then just search for ‘ABC’ in the Keyword space. Don’t touch any of the other drop-downs!
Have load 3 pictures of ABC..
i used to love this cinema growing up in the 80’s at least the ticket prices were decent no hyper inflated costs like it is today the best film i have seen there was masters of the universe in 87 it was great especialy at the end where dolph lundgren said i have the power every one stood up cheering and applauding in ovation it was electric but the cinema paid the price for govermental capital by knocking it down for an shopping complex that the site is now owned by john lewis part of leeds transformation project but what fun it was at the cinema.
frankie (cool rider) smales
frankie smales tv and movie review uk