Queen's Picture House

Located in Formby, to the south of Southport, Lancashire. Originally built in 1893 as a club house for the Catholic Association. The 200-seat. Picturedrome was opened on 21st December 1912. By 1925 the upper floor had been converted into a dance hall. Southport based architect Ernest W. Ball was employed to re-structure and make alterations to the building. The dance hall was removed and a 115-seat balcony was added to the auditorium. This gave a total seating capacity of 315. It re-opened as the Queen’s Picture House on 29th December 1925. It was equipped for ‘talkies’ on 13th October 1930 when Colleen Moore in “Smiling Irish Eyes” became the first sound film to be screened on its British Talking Pictures(BTP) sound system.

By 1937 it was taken over by the Liverpool based Regent Enterprises Ltd. chain who operated it until its closure in 1958. It was then used as a skating rink and jazz club. It was demolished in the 1960’s.

A Co-Operative supermarket was built on the site, which later became a Fine Fare supermarket. Followed by Hanbury’s supermarket and then the Ethel Austin Co. took over. Today it is a YMCA and Village Inn.

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