Embassy Cinema

Parkway,
Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JL

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Shipman & King Cinemas Ltd.

Architects: Arthur W. Kenyon, Louis de Soissons

Styles: Art Deco, Neo-Georgian

Previous Names: Welwyn Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Welwyn Theatre

The Welwyn Theatre was opened on 27th January 1928 with the German film “Faust”. It was built for both cinema and theatre use and had seating provided for 930 in the stalls and 170 in the circle.

In April 1936 it was taken over by the Shipman & King chain of cinemas and alterations were carried out to the plans of interior designer Louis Ososki. Live shows and films were still part of the programming.

On 27th November 1962 the stage area was destroyed by a fire, the night following the opening of a production of “Carousel”. A new stage-house was built and it re-opened in 1963 as the Embassy Cinema. It was closed on 6th August 1983 with “The Dark Crystal”. The building had been sold and it was demolished to build an office building named Charter House and used by the National Health Service.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

nbphil
nbphil on April 15, 2019 at 2:11 pm

The position shown on the map is incorrect, it was almost next door to John Lewis on Parkway. The correct position is marked as NHS. Although it was completely demolished the frontage of the new builing, Charter House, is very similar to the way it had been. I worked there as a relief projectionist in the late 70s.

nbphil
nbphil on May 2, 2021 at 9:03 pm

Although the articles title is about the Kinema most of it is actually about the Embassy. https://www.ourwelwyngardencity.org.uk/content/topics/sport_and_leisure/theatres-and-cinemas/parkway-hall-and-kinema

nbphil
nbphil on May 2, 2021 at 9:05 pm

There a couple more articles linked to from this page https://www.ourwelwyngardencity.org.uk/content/topics/sport_and_leisure/theatres-and-cinemas/opening-of-the-welwyn-theatre

nbphil
nbphil on May 2, 2021 at 9:13 pm

And another two articles here https://www.ourwelwyngardencity.org.uk/content/category/topics/sport_and_leisure/theatres

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