ABC Lancaster
14 Dalton Square,
Lancaster,
LA1 1PL
14 Dalton Square,
Lancaster,
LA1 1PL
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Opened in July 1929 as the Palace Theatre, designed by J. C. Derham of Derham & Kay Ltd. Despite the theatre name it had only a small stage with no flytower and was essentially built as a cinema. It was equipped with a Christie organ which had 2Manuals.
It was taken over by Union Cinemas in 1936 and thus passed to ABC who renamed it in 1966 after they had applied the “luxury lounge” treatment to the stalls (better seating with more legroom – usually also closing the circle). It now had 854 seats suggesting that at Lancaster the circle was not closed.
However this only lasted for eight years before the ABC closed in March 1974. The cinema was converted into a disco, now known as ‘Walkabout’. By 2012, it was a childrens play area.
The Odeon Cinema in King Street later took the ABC name.
Contributed by
Ian Grundy
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Scroll down for a vintage photo of auditorium:
View link
Page 15 of brochure linked above.
Exterior photo here:–
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4776670872/
Have added picture of view of stage 1966 experiment I did taking 2 shots…
This is now a children’s soft play centre, and I was shown round by the very pleasant and helpful proprietor. From the circle front forwards and downwards, most of the original detail has gone, which I suspect must have happened when ABC turned it into a ‘Luxury Lounge’. However, above that level, quite a lot of original plasterwork survives. I took a few pictures and have added them to this entry. It’s good to see the building being used, and the proprietor seems very proud of the place.