Empire Picture Palace

19 Church Street,
Blaenau Ffestiniog, LL41 3HB

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Showing 26 - 31 of 31 comments

Eric Evans
Eric Evans on July 12, 2011 at 4:36 am

I was just wondering what the overhanging extension on the google picture was,my statement was that it looks like it’s still there,why the sarcastic remark ?

Capelmawr
Capelmawr on July 10, 2011 at 1:00 pm

I am surprised to hear that the overhanging projection box was still in situ. It had definately gone in 2009 asnd when I passed the former cinema a month ago! Has Mr Evans rebuilt it?

Eric Evans
Eric Evans on July 9, 2011 at 1:13 pm

I’ve adjusted the google picture to the Empire’s location, looks like the overhanging projection room mentioned by capelmawr is still there. The former cinema in Llanidloes was the same,although the proj room was pulled down after closure, but the building still stands today.

It’s listed on the Cinema Treasures site.

Eric Evans
Eric Evans on November 29, 2010 at 3:28 pm

Peter Moore had already installed projection and sound equipment at the Empire, for all I know they may well still be there,I think it was going to be a no frills set up as the screen was a painted wall.

I also remember an item on the Welsh News on tv that some local organisation (I do not think it was the council)were looking into the possibility of carrying through with the venture,but nothing came of it.Shame really I suppose funding was the main stumbling block.

Capelmawr
Capelmawr on October 28, 2009 at 7:35 am

The Empire was opened circa 1924, when the propreitor was listed as Captain Lewis Davies. This was probably incorrect as although he was still listed as propreitor in 1939, it is known that the owner was Captain Pritchard, who also owned cinemas in Criccieth, Pen y Groes and Caernarvon.
It ran on one show per ni8ght with three4 on Saturdays and changed programmes twice a week. Prices at opening were 5d to 1/3d. It could seat 400 patrons. By 1938 prices had changed to 6d to 1/–.
With the death of Captain Pritchard during WWII, the other cinemas were purchased by Paramount, but they declined the ‘Empire’ probably because of the amount of competition, and it was closed in 1945.

Capelmawr
Capelmawr on October 27, 2009 at 4:22 pm

The talk of re-opening in 1995 was true. The former cinema was taken on lease(?) by Peter Moore, who owned the Empire, Holyhead, but was thwarted when he was arrested, tried and jailed for life for the murder of four homosexuals. This closed the Empire as well and left two other former cinemas he planned to re-open ‘in limbo’.

Last saw this former cinema last year when it was empty, having been recently used as the local Labour Party HQ.

When running as a cinema, it unusually had an outside projection box, to comply with the 1909 cinematograph act, which overhung the street. This was demolished long ago.