Rialto Cinema

Located in Irlam, Lancashire, the Globe Cinema was the second cinema to operate in the town and is situated opposite the Kings Road junction on Liverpool Road adjacent to the Royle engineering factory and not far from Irlam railway station. It was operated by Irlam Cinemas Ltd. It 1935 it was reconstructed and modernized to the plans of architectural firm Drury & Gomersall and it was re-named Rialto Cinema. Some time in the early-1950’s ownership passed to Otlair Cinemas Ltd., run from the Savoy Cinema in Romiley, Cheshire. Photos show a shop attached to the cinema. It sold sweets etc.

In various Kinematograph Year Books the depth of the Globe Cinema’s stage varies between 12ft and 13½ft with two or three dressing rooms. KYB 1931 indicates a ‘Syntok’ sound system (Syntok Talking Pictures Ltd; dissolved October 1941) which the Harwich Electric Palace web site mentions as a sound on disc installation. By KYB 1935 the Globe Cinema had installed Western Electric(WE), its system until closure. The first mention of seating is in KYB 1935 when it was 850; which decreased to 753 in KYB 1942; and 708 in 1957.

After closure the building was refurbished as the Rialto Snooker Club; and is now (2015) an appliance retailers ‘Irlam Domestics’.

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