ABC Market Harborough

The Ritz Cinema was the last to be planned by the Union Cinemas circuit, as they were taken over by Associated British Cinemas(ABC). ABC completed the building and opened it on 22 May 1939 with Sabu in "The Drum".

It led an uneventful life, with Cinemascope being fitted rather late in 1955. It became the ABC in 1961 and soon began a policy of part time bingo/part time films. The cinema closed on 25th April 1978 with Bruce Lee in "Fist of Fury. It was leased to Silverline Entertainments and became a bingo club. It remained on bingo until 1982 when it was closed. Suggestions were made to save the building for entertainment use possibly as a theatre, but these came to nothing and the building was converted into a Kwiksave supermarket. This recently closed in 2007 and again there are voices being raised locally to bring cinema use back to the building. However there may be plans put forward to re-develop the site for housing and a retail unit.

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