Corona Cinema

DavidSimpson on January 30, 2021 at 4:33 am

According to a press cutting, dated 10th March 1978, in the Cinema Theatre Association Archive, local businessman Joe Wray had bought the cinema building 12 years previously. He was in the DIY trade, and, having used it for storage, he had now invested several thousand pounds into converting it into the Corona Club, a youth club and community centre. It had only been open one week, but membership had already reached 150, and it was expected to grow to around 500. There were pool tables, a juke box, a 50ft long bar (selling shandies) and pinball machines.

Joe had plans to add further attractions but then, on 24th March, just two weeks later, the Evening News reported that theft, vandalism and violence had closed the club down. On 23rd March police had to be called in to sort out trouble at the club, which was packed with teenagers, many of whom were running riot, vandalising pool tables, stealing bottles of drink and picking fights. Older youths also threatened Joe Wray, who said he had had enough and he was closing the club down.

The building was subsequently taken over by Cohens Chemists. However, by 2016, that had relocated to new premises just around the corner, on Market Street, and this building had been demolished and replaced by housing.