Cine City
Wilmslow Road,
Withington,
M20 3BG
Wilmslow Road,
Withington,
M20 3BG
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing all 8 comments
It was almost certainly designed by Campbell & Fairhurst, and bears a close resemblance to the Dingle Picturedrome and the Belmont Picture House, both in Liverpool and both known to be designed by C & F.
The Stafford Picture House is also almost certainly by C & F.
In my notes I have that Cine-City opened in 1912 as the Scala Palace, but (like most others) I rely on others for information.
Cine City Wilmslow Road, Withington. M20 3BG. (0161) 445 9888 ex 3301/8181. Seats (by 1983): 1:150, 2:150, 3:150. Seats (by 2001): 1:130, 2:132, 3:154.
Opened 1912 as Scala Palace. Architects: probably Campbell & Fairhurst. Renamed Scala by 1940. 603 seats by 1961. Renamed Cine City in the 1970s. Closed 23 Jan 1997 (Manchester’s oldest cinema). Reopened. Still open as at 8 April 2000. [Closed by September 2001].
I’ve taken a number of photos of Cine City being demolished, and have uploaded them to Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons – see View link .
This photo shows a Cine City being demolished. I think its this one.
A few more of the Cine City here, operating as a cinema in 1988 (scanned images):-
Exterior
View link
Interior
View link
View link
View link
Here is another photo of Cine City.
This website has a 1940 photo of the Scala Cinema.
Was it ever called “The Scala”? If not, the aka name can be changed to Scala Electric Cinema. Thanks for the seat count.
This is a recent photo of Cine City.
Opened as the Scala Electric Cinema on 11th January 1913 with a seating capacity of 675 in stalls and circle areas. When it closed as a triple cinema in 2001 it had 130 seats in Screen 1, 143 seats in Screen 2 and 154 seats in Screen 3.