Plaza Cinema

KitGreen on September 27, 2014 at 10:27 am

It was Southern Television’s successor TVS that converted the building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgm1hoSoAco&list=UUY1qoXjT6EcvsXh8TfOzqkw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_South#TVS_Television_Theatre

TVS acquired the former Plaza Cinema in Gillingham, Kent as a stop gap measure between the commencement of broadcasting and the completion of Vinters Park (Maidstone Studios). The theatre was quickly converted for television use ready for the start of broadcasting. The decision to operate a television theatre was against the trend in television at that time as both the BBC and Thames Television were to dispose of similar facilities in the next two years.

Production at Gillingham was limited. It was used for several quiz shows and it was the base of the regional afternoon magazine show Not for Women Only and TVS filmed the UK inserts for Fraggle Rock there. TVS sold the theatre in 1988 to an independent production company. For a period afterwards the site was used for other activities before being demolished to make way for redevelopment. A campaign to have it listed failed as the large-scale conversion for television production had made it unsuitable for listing.