Electric Theatre

In early-July 1910, two premises located at 25 and 27 Commercial Road were converted into the Electric Theatre and this operated under the ownership of the Popular Bioscope Syndicate of London until early-1921.

Due to increased business, it was decided to build a new cinema on the site. The old building was demolished and a new Electric Theatre seating 1,400 in stalls and circle areas was designed by the noted theatre architectural firm Frank Matcham & Company. It opened on 22nd December 1921 and was built by Alexander Bernstein’s building company and Sydney Bernstein was on the board of directors of the operating company. The cinema was equipped with an attractive cafe which served teas and also a roof tea garden for use in the summer months. Initially a 15-piece orchestra accompanied the silent films but by 1922 a 1Manual/11Stop Hill, Norman & Beard straight organ had been installed to add to the experience.

The Electric Theatre was leased out to QTS from September 1927 until 1st January 1929. The organ was removed when talkies arrived and some of the parts were used to build the Christie 2Manual/9Ranks theatre organ which replaced it in 1931. The Electric Theatre undergone some alterations and modifications in July 1930, to the designs of noted cinema architect Cecil Masey.

The Electric Theatre was owned by the independent Capital & Counties Theatres Ltd and was booked at the Regent Theatre, Poole. The Christie organ was played regularly until 1954 when due to a woodworm infestation, it was considered beyond repair.

The Electric Theatre closed on 2nd March 1966 with Burt Lancaster in "The Hallelujah Trail". It has now been demolished.

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater