Scala Cinema
19 Commercial Street,
Camborne,
TR14 8JZ
19 Commercial Street,
Camborne,
TR14 8JZ
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Additional Info
Functions: Bar
Previous Names: St. George's Hall, Picturedrome, Cinedrome
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Located in Camborne, Cornwall. Built of Cornish stone, this was originally built as St. George’s Hall. It was converted into the Picturedrome, opening in around February 1909. Around 1920 it was re-named Cinedrome.
By 1937, it had been re-named Scala Cinema. The proscenium was 30 feet wide and the stage 14 feet deep. There were four dressing rooms. The cinema also had a dance hall attached.
The Scala Cinema was closed in the early-1960’s and it was converted into the Scala Bingo Club, operated by Cornwall Cinema Bingo Clubs. Bingo ceased in 1973 and the operation was transferred to the Kings Cinema. The Scala was converted into a nightclub around 2000. Several managements and name changes later, it was last known as the Corn Exchange Nightclub.
The building was purchased by the JD Wetherspoon chain of pubs in 2010, and after refurbishment, re-opened as one of their pubs on 31st May 2011. It has been named The John Francis Bassett.
The building is Grade II Listed.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Despite the date in the camera data, my photographs were taken in June 2013.
In the 70’s and 80’s this building was a rollerskating rink (before it became a nightclub). It used to be open on Saturday’s and all I remember from the one occasion I went was how dark and dusty and old it was! Also the part that is now the Wetherspoon’s entrance was a Knee’s store at around the same time. Knee’s were presumably a locally owned chain of small department stores and also had branches in Truro and Penzance as I recall.
The “Market House” of 1867 has served as a town hall, magistrates court and assembly rooms. The Scala appears to have been on an upper floor which was added to the building later and has no direct connection with the pub. One icture shows this side of the building in Church St as a fish and chip shop.
Initially after closure, the former cinema was turned into the Scala Bingo Club by Cornwall Cinema Bingo Clubs. It closed in 1973 when the former King’s Cinema closed as a cinema and was re-opened as a bingo club by the same company. The bingo clubs traded as a part of the Cornwall Cinemas circuit.