Scene Cinemas
The Mall, Monmouth Square,
Cwmbran,
NP44 1PX
The Mall, Monmouth Square,
Cwmbran,
NP44 1PX
1 person
favorited this theater
The Scene Cinema opened in the newly developed new town of Cwmbran, South Wales, on the 5th November 1972. Operated initially by the Star Group of Companies of Leeds, it was styled as an entertainment complex comprising of a modern open plan bingo hall and 3-screen ‘studio’ cinemas, seating 100, 80 and 130.
Within a few years it passed into independent control and has remained an independent cinema ever since. The bingo ceased operation in the mid-1980’s, however the cinemas remained a very successful operation on first run release films.
The unique feature of the cinema was that all three screens use a downward mirror periscope projection system serviced from a large projection room directly above the cinemas.
The cinemas remained virtually unaltered since 1972 and I think now could be the only remaining cinema in the UK using an original mirror periscope system. It was closed in early-2013.
Contributed by
Peter Edmunds
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
hi peter.. hope you see this i lost your details my mobile broke and i lost your number… martin
This Cinema has sadly closed recently .I am hoping the projectionist/manager will come on here soon to give more details. Looking through the front door though I can see that work has commenced taking down the internal signs and lightboxes..Very sad as this was the last traditionally operating cinemas in South Gwent
Very sad to read the news of its closure. I understand the operator was unable to justify upgrading the venue to digital as it wasn’t financially viable.
Another South Wales cinema lost.
@ jeffrey Morris. This theatre will not be the last to close due to digital progress. I am now glad I retired from Cinema ownership when I did…
@ Mike. Sadly you are right. I left cinema exhibition a few years back and it was the wise thing to do back then and even more so nowadays, so sad.
It was sad Our Family had Cinema and Theatre interests since 1900 till I retired in 2007. I handed the last theatre over to a Trust..
I got out of the industry long before you then Mike. Where were your cinemas and what were they called? I am curious as there might be some I know.