Electric Cinema

The Classic company did not carry on with the continental programmes . They tried 2nd run. When Cannon bought out ABC. They then got the Futurist.. ABC New Street and Bristol Road. They then sold the lease to “Theatre One Coventry… They then sold lease to Elephant Films..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLsqhNnMMO4

Take a look at this, to see the technology in place during 2000. A film by Fred J.Fullerton, which will be of interest to ‘techies’ everywhere.

The Electric Cinema can be seen in this 2008 photo.

Rumour has it that the basement of the cinema was used as a makeshift morgue during the war. The word “Hospital” is still there painted it large red letters and very very faded.

Here are a couple of photos of the bizarre (but eyecatching) facade of the Electric Cinema as it looked in the 1990’s:
View link
View link

The address of the Electric Cinema is 47 Station Street. It opened on 27th December 1909, the architect was well known theatre architect Bertie Crewe. It was a conversion of premises that had been used as a hansom cab depot and at the time it was described as ‘attractive and cosy’. Red plush tip-up seats were provided for 376 patrons on a single sloping floor.

When Jacey Cinemas took control in 1936 they re-built the Station Street facade. The architect was Cecil E.M. Fillmore and the scheme included the installation of a balcony and the re-positioning of the projection box into the balcony level. It re-opened on 20th March 1937 as the Tatler News Theatre and had a seating capacity of 399. The style had been changed from Edwardian to Art Deco.

It was in 1980 when Classic Cinemas were operating the building that they gutted and split the auditorium, creating a twin cinema seating 242 and 105. Nothing remains inside of any of the decorative features of the building.