Yes, David, although “actueel” is Dutch for “current”. So presumably the name in English would be something like “Cinema Now”. I should have included this in my Overview.
I believe this cinema opened circa July 2016, following the closure of the associated Cinem'actueel, which was in the town centre. This multiplex is operated by C.Cinemas, which also runs the City Bioscoop in Roosendaal and the Cine-Service in Etten-Leur, both towns not far from Bergen op Zoom. It’s a strange design, in that the best view, of the glazed foyer/bar, is from the busy main road, whereas patrons walking from the car park see only rather daunting, plain blank walls.
On a visit to Liege in August 2017 I happened to stay in the Ibis hotel overlooking the street where the Crosly was situated. As can be seen from my photograph, a large number of buildings, including No. 14 (the cinema’s address) have been demolished, leaving a large swathe of vacant ground. So, assuming the cinema’s address is correct, the building has been demolished. Perhaps another contributor will be able to absolutely confirm this.
I visited the Empire on Friday 28th July 2017 to see “The Godfather”, starring Marlon Brando and Robert de Niro. For the time being, at least, films are shown from DVD/Blu-ray. I was made very welcome by members of the Trust, and John, the projectionist, was pleased to show me around before the film started. A very enjoyable evening.
On its convenient, out of town location, this is a worthy addition to the Cineworld circuit. I visited on Sunday 23rd July 2017 and enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s epic “Dunkirk” in Screen 1, the largest, which has a ‘box’ at the rear with two seats and wheelchair space. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 240; Screen 2: 118; Screen 3: 155; Screen 4: 129; Screen 5: 75 and Screen 6: 220.
In April 2013 owner Nadine Smith, who acquired the business as a bar and snooker hall in 1984, and developed it into a bar, snooker and events venue, decided to retire. The business was put on the market at £395,000. It re-opened as BAR62 in 2014.
The Depot is extremely attractively laid out, with three very comfortable auditoriums behind a spacious lounge/bar. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 142, Screen 2: 126 and Screen 3: 37. When I visited, on Monday 3rd July, I saw the reissue of the Dustin Hoffman/Anne Bancroft classic “The Graduate”. I was made very welcome.
The Regal was purchased by Brian Currie, owner of Fordingbridge-based Corintech electronics company. He hoped the flats that have been constructed within it will help him recruit young engineers who would otherwise struggle to secure accommodation.
Happily, his £1m scheme included the 30-seat cinema, which is located immediately behind the entrance foyer, where the rear stalls would have been. There are five rows, each with six very comfortable, nicely raked seats. Projection is from DVD/Blu-ray, with state-of-the-art projection and sound systems, complete with motorised masking. A separate bar has been constructed at the left hand side of the building. I gather there are plans for an outdoor seating area.
Just about the only reminder of the ‘old’ Regal is the external ladder to the former projection room, on the right hand side of the building.
Mr Currie originally hoped to open the new Regal at the end of May 2017, although that was never a firm date. In the event, it opened on Friday 30th June, with screenings of the classic thriller “Casablanca” that day, Saturday and Sunday.
The cinema is operated as the Fordingbridge Regal Cinema Club, with admission restricted to members and guests, and with tickets only available on-line, not on the door. I arrived mid-afternoon on the Sunday. I tried to make contact beforehand, but without success, so I simply turned up. By sheer chance, there was just one ticket still available for the matinee screening, and an extremely kind volunteer arranged for his wife, who was at home nearby, to purchase that ticket on-line for me! So I was able to enjoy “Casablanca” with a packed, enthusiastic audience.
This weekend was something of a ‘try-out’, with all seats priced at £4.50. There will then be a gap before the full programme, with three films to be screened each weekend, starts in August. Seats will then cost £9.00.
The volunteers were extremely welcoming, and they clearly have a great passion for this community cinema. I wish all concerned all the best for this splendid venture.
In early July 2017 Butlins announced that, from Wednesday 19th July, local residents would no longer be able to sign in at the entrance to gain access to the cinema. The company said this is so they know who is on the site at all times. Residents will still be able to access the camp’s facilities, including the cinema, by purchasing a £200 annual family ticket.
I visited the Kino on Saturday 24th June 2017 to see “Churchill”, starring Brian Cox. I was made very welcome by the manageress. The cinema is in splendid shape, with 210 ‘traditional’ seats in the circle and 20 extremely comfortable two-seat sofas in the stalls.
Operator Graeme Reekie is a true ‘film’ buff, and I was delighted to see a leaflet (see Photos) advertising a series of Saturday screenings of classic films on 35mm.
I visited this transformed cinema on Friday 23rd June 2017, when I saw “Gifted”, starring Chris Evans and Lindsay Duncan. I was delighted to see how it has been imaginatively converted into a true community asset.
The former auditorium has been divided in half, with almost equal space now devoted to the new auditorium and the café/function space. A mezzanine floor has been inserted above the foyer/bar/café, creating a multi-purpose function area upstairs. Meanwhile, the new auditorium, sideways on from the original, has comfortable, raked seating with four two-seat sofas along the back row. Full-height glazing has been punched into the side wall of the café area, allowing plenty of light in.
For trivia buffs, I gather that “birks” is the Scottish name for birch trees. Robert Burns wrote a poem ‘The Birks of Aberfeldy’, which presumably inspired the cinema’s rather unusual name.
In March 2011 pub company J. D. Wetherspoon was given permission to undertake a £1.1m conversion of the former Victoria. The resulting pub was scheduled to open on 7th June 2011; presumably it did open on that date.
It is named The Gordon Highlander, in commemoration of the only survivor of the ten locomotives built at the Inverurie Loco Works. (The loco itself is on display at the Scottish Railway Museum.) There is, however, some acknowledgement of the building’s cinematic past in a heritage board commemorating architect Tommy Scott Sunderland.
In May 2017 Jacqueline Kerrigan, manager at Fintona library, kindly provided the composite photocopy of the programme cover, letterhead and tickets in the attached photo. (There is also a line drawing of the Cinema, but that is unfortunately very faint.) She added that co-owner Michael Kelly lived on Main Street, and co-owner Dan McCaffrey was a dentist. The cinema building, which was previously the Town Hall, is now occupied by Q Sports and a Money Advice Centre. The programme cover confirms the Cinema was operating until March 1972, at least.
This cinema was initially one of three in Prague owned and operated by an association of pilots. All had appropriate names: Aero (“Aeroplane”), Pilotu (“Pilot”) and Vzlet (“Take off”). Nowadays, the Aero is associated with Kino OKO and Kino Svetozor. During a visit to the city in June 2017 I saw “Trainspotting 2”, starring Ewan McGregor and Ewen Bremner (in English, with Czech subtitles) at this lovely cinema.
During a visit to Prague in June 2017 I saw “Lady Macbeth”, starring Florence Pugh (in English language, with Czech subtitles), at this magnificent cinema – which appears to be even older than mentioned above, with its website saying that it opened on 3rd December 1907. (The year is corroborated by the inscription on a bust of founder Vacslav Havel.)
The main auditorium currently has 453 seats, and is equipped with 4K digital technology, with 3D capability, with Dolby Surround 7.1 sound.
A second auditorium, seating 51, opened in 2013. This occupies space that was, some 70 years ago, the owner’s private cinema. This is equipped with 2K digital projector with 3D projection and Dolby Surround 7.1 sound.
During a visit to Prague in June 2017 I noted that, despite exterior signage stating “Kino a Divadlo” [“Cinema and Theatre”], no films were being advertised at the venue, and its website listed only live performances. Indeed, the current theatre company has the specific aim of encouraging young actors, directors and scriptwriters in live theatre.
Kino Blanik opened on 18th September 1929. Live productions first started, presumably interspersed with film shows, in the 1960s, then Studio DVA, an independent theatre and arts company, was founded in 2000. In 2003 the auditorium was re-designed for theatre purposes, with a revamped stage, new seating and updated technical equipment. The building re-opened as Studio DVA on 18th September 2013. There are 610 seats. Films do not appear to be part of the theatre’s current repertoire.
Despite the £4.1m part Lottery funded restoration in 2013, which included the construction of the current digital cinema, Penarth Arts and Crafts (PAC), which leases the Pavilion from Vale of Glamorgan Council on a 125 year lease, closed the cinema on 6th March 2017.
A petition was raised by filmgoers faced with the loss of the town’s only cinema.
PAC responded by putting out this statement: “First of all we would like to acknowledge the strength of support for the Cinema as evidenced by the number of signatures to the on-line petition. We welcome the many statements made about the importance of the Cinema not only to local residents but also those from further afield. We can assure you that there is no plan to close the Cinema ‘indefinitely’ as reported in some local media, however we have recognised that, to ensure the long term future of the Cinema and of the Pavilion as a whole, we need to make some temporary changes to our operations.
The last three years have shown quite clearly that with the limited capacity of the 68 seat Cinema the income from ticket sales will never be enough to cover the costs of running the Cinema. As a registered charity we cannot continue to provide facilities that are uneconomical as is the case with the Cinema. We have therefore drawn up a plan to secure additional independent financial support from a variety of possible sources. This will enable us to maintain the Cinema in the longer term and to keep ticket prices at an affordable level. Over the coming months we will regularly review progress on our future plans and hope very much to be able to re-open the Cinema sooner rather than later."
On Friday 7th April 2017, following tireless work by a team of volunteers, films returned to the Empire, when “The Girl on the Train”, starring Emily Blunt, was screened. As the film shows are interspersed with the live events, they are restricted to Wednesday Afternoon Matinees and Friday Night Film Night, plus children’s matinees on Saturdays or Sundays.
Contradicting the assertion above, that film shows were re-introduced in 2012, the history page on the Empire’s website confirms that films had not been shown since July 2005. By that time, audiences had dwindled following the opening, in November 2002, of the Cineworld at Braintree. Now, the advent of digital projection has led to an increase in the number, and popularity, of community cinemas, and it is to be hoped that the good citizens of Halstead will support these film shows at the Empire.
Small Cinema sadly closed on Sunday 30th April 2017, following an announcement that Crown Buildings were to be put up for sale for redevelopment. The cinema went out on a high, with a full weekend programme that culminated with “Together” (2000), directed by Lucas Moodysson, which was followed by a Grand Closing Party. According to its website, it has welcomed over 8,000 people to 270 screenings in its relatively short life.
Thankfully, the future of Small Cinema is being discussed by its volunteer team. I certainly hope that alternative premises can be found, and that this wonderful independent can be resurrected.
Yes, David, although “actueel” is Dutch for “current”. So presumably the name in English would be something like “Cinema Now”. I should have included this in my Overview.
By August 2017 the Zara clothes store had relocated across the road, and the Cinema Majestic was home to a branch of the Bershka clothing chain.
I believe this cinema opened circa July 2016, following the closure of the associated Cinem'actueel, which was in the town centre. This multiplex is operated by C.Cinemas, which also runs the City Bioscoop in Roosendaal and the Cine-Service in Etten-Leur, both towns not far from Bergen op Zoom. It’s a strange design, in that the best view, of the glazed foyer/bar, is from the busy main road, whereas patrons walking from the car park see only rather daunting, plain blank walls.
My photographs, taken in August 2017, show that the Marivaux has been demolished and replaced by an apartment block.
On a visit to Liege in August 2017 I happened to stay in the Ibis hotel overlooking the street where the Crosly was situated. As can be seen from my photograph, a large number of buildings, including No. 14 (the cinema’s address) have been demolished, leaving a large swathe of vacant ground. So, assuming the cinema’s address is correct, the building has been demolished. Perhaps another contributor will be able to absolutely confirm this.
I visited the Empire on Friday 28th July 2017 to see “The Godfather”, starring Marlon Brando and Robert de Niro. For the time being, at least, films are shown from DVD/Blu-ray. I was made very welcome by members of the Trust, and John, the projectionist, was pleased to show me around before the film started. A very enjoyable evening.
On its convenient, out of town location, this is a worthy addition to the Cineworld circuit. I visited on Sunday 23rd July 2017 and enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s epic “Dunkirk” in Screen 1, the largest, which has a ‘box’ at the rear with two seats and wheelchair space. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 240; Screen 2: 118; Screen 3: 155; Screen 4: 129; Screen 5: 75 and Screen 6: 220.
In April 2013 owner Nadine Smith, who acquired the business as a bar and snooker hall in 1984, and developed it into a bar, snooker and events venue, decided to retire. The business was put on the market at £395,000. It re-opened as BAR62 in 2014.
The Depot is extremely attractively laid out, with three very comfortable auditoriums behind a spacious lounge/bar. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 142, Screen 2: 126 and Screen 3: 37. When I visited, on Monday 3rd July, I saw the reissue of the Dustin Hoffman/Anne Bancroft classic “The Graduate”. I was made very welcome.
The Regal was purchased by Brian Currie, owner of Fordingbridge-based Corintech electronics company. He hoped the flats that have been constructed within it will help him recruit young engineers who would otherwise struggle to secure accommodation.
Happily, his £1m scheme included the 30-seat cinema, which is located immediately behind the entrance foyer, where the rear stalls would have been. There are five rows, each with six very comfortable, nicely raked seats. Projection is from DVD/Blu-ray, with state-of-the-art projection and sound systems, complete with motorised masking. A separate bar has been constructed at the left hand side of the building. I gather there are plans for an outdoor seating area.
Just about the only reminder of the ‘old’ Regal is the external ladder to the former projection room, on the right hand side of the building.
Mr Currie originally hoped to open the new Regal at the end of May 2017, although that was never a firm date. In the event, it opened on Friday 30th June, with screenings of the classic thriller “Casablanca” that day, Saturday and Sunday.
The cinema is operated as the Fordingbridge Regal Cinema Club, with admission restricted to members and guests, and with tickets only available on-line, not on the door. I arrived mid-afternoon on the Sunday. I tried to make contact beforehand, but without success, so I simply turned up. By sheer chance, there was just one ticket still available for the matinee screening, and an extremely kind volunteer arranged for his wife, who was at home nearby, to purchase that ticket on-line for me! So I was able to enjoy “Casablanca” with a packed, enthusiastic audience.
This weekend was something of a ‘try-out’, with all seats priced at £4.50. There will then be a gap before the full programme, with three films to be screened each weekend, starts in August. Seats will then cost £9.00.
The volunteers were extremely welcoming, and they clearly have a great passion for this community cinema. I wish all concerned all the best for this splendid venture.
In early July 2017 Butlins announced that, from Wednesday 19th July, local residents would no longer be able to sign in at the entrance to gain access to the cinema. The company said this is so they know who is on the site at all times. Residents will still be able to access the camp’s facilities, including the cinema, by purchasing a £200 annual family ticket.
I visited the Kino on Saturday 24th June 2017 to see “Churchill”, starring Brian Cox. I was made very welcome by the manageress. The cinema is in splendid shape, with 210 ‘traditional’ seats in the circle and 20 extremely comfortable two-seat sofas in the stalls.
Operator Graeme Reekie is a true ‘film’ buff, and I was delighted to see a leaflet (see Photos) advertising a series of Saturday screenings of classic films on 35mm.
I visited on Friday 23rd June 2017. This is another superb Wetherspoon conversion.
I visited this transformed cinema on Friday 23rd June 2017, when I saw “Gifted”, starring Chris Evans and Lindsay Duncan. I was delighted to see how it has been imaginatively converted into a true community asset.
The former auditorium has been divided in half, with almost equal space now devoted to the new auditorium and the café/function space. A mezzanine floor has been inserted above the foyer/bar/café, creating a multi-purpose function area upstairs. Meanwhile, the new auditorium, sideways on from the original, has comfortable, raked seating with four two-seat sofas along the back row. Full-height glazing has been punched into the side wall of the café area, allowing plenty of light in.
For trivia buffs, I gather that “birks” is the Scottish name for birch trees. Robert Burns wrote a poem ‘The Birks of Aberfeldy’, which presumably inspired the cinema’s rather unusual name.
In March 2011 pub company J. D. Wetherspoon was given permission to undertake a £1.1m conversion of the former Victoria. The resulting pub was scheduled to open on 7th June 2011; presumably it did open on that date.
It is named The Gordon Highlander, in commemoration of the only survivor of the ten locomotives built at the Inverurie Loco Works. (The loco itself is on display at the Scottish Railway Museum.) There is, however, some acknowledgement of the building’s cinematic past in a heritage board commemorating architect Tommy Scott Sunderland.
In May 2017 Jacqueline Kerrigan, manager at Fintona library, kindly provided the composite photocopy of the programme cover, letterhead and tickets in the attached photo. (There is also a line drawing of the Cinema, but that is unfortunately very faint.) She added that co-owner Michael Kelly lived on Main Street, and co-owner Dan McCaffrey was a dentist. The cinema building, which was previously the Town Hall, is now occupied by Q Sports and a Money Advice Centre. The programme cover confirms the Cinema was operating until March 1972, at least.
This cinema was initially one of three in Prague owned and operated by an association of pilots. All had appropriate names: Aero (“Aeroplane”), Pilotu (“Pilot”) and Vzlet (“Take off”). Nowadays, the Aero is associated with Kino OKO and Kino Svetozor. During a visit to the city in June 2017 I saw “Trainspotting 2”, starring Ewan McGregor and Ewen Bremner (in English, with Czech subtitles) at this lovely cinema.
During a visit to Prague in June 2017 I saw “Lady Macbeth”, starring Florence Pugh (in English language, with Czech subtitles), at this magnificent cinema – which appears to be even older than mentioned above, with its website saying that it opened on 3rd December 1907. (The year is corroborated by the inscription on a bust of founder Vacslav Havel.)
The main auditorium currently has 453 seats, and is equipped with 4K digital technology, with 3D capability, with Dolby Surround 7.1 sound.
A second auditorium, seating 51, opened in 2013. This occupies space that was, some 70 years ago, the owner’s private cinema. This is equipped with 2K digital projector with 3D projection and Dolby Surround 7.1 sound.
During a visit to Prague in June 2017 I noted that, despite exterior signage stating “Kino a Divadlo” [“Cinema and Theatre”], no films were being advertised at the venue, and its website listed only live performances. Indeed, the current theatre company has the specific aim of encouraging young actors, directors and scriptwriters in live theatre.
On a visit to Prague in June 2017 I noted that the Roxy was only advertising live music events.
Kino Blanik opened on 18th September 1929. Live productions first started, presumably interspersed with film shows, in the 1960s, then Studio DVA, an independent theatre and arts company, was founded in 2000. In 2003 the auditorium was re-designed for theatre purposes, with a revamped stage, new seating and updated technical equipment. The building re-opened as Studio DVA on 18th September 2013. There are 610 seats. Films do not appear to be part of the theatre’s current repertoire.
Despite the £4.1m part Lottery funded restoration in 2013, which included the construction of the current digital cinema, Penarth Arts and Crafts (PAC), which leases the Pavilion from Vale of Glamorgan Council on a 125 year lease, closed the cinema on 6th March 2017.
A petition was raised by filmgoers faced with the loss of the town’s only cinema.
PAC responded by putting out this statement: “First of all we would like to acknowledge the strength of support for the Cinema as evidenced by the number of signatures to the on-line petition. We welcome the many statements made about the importance of the Cinema not only to local residents but also those from further afield. We can assure you that there is no plan to close the Cinema ‘indefinitely’ as reported in some local media, however we have recognised that, to ensure the long term future of the Cinema and of the Pavilion as a whole, we need to make some temporary changes to our operations.
The last three years have shown quite clearly that with the limited capacity of the 68 seat Cinema the income from ticket sales will never be enough to cover the costs of running the Cinema. As a registered charity we cannot continue to provide facilities that are uneconomical as is the case with the Cinema. We have therefore drawn up a plan to secure additional independent financial support from a variety of possible sources. This will enable us to maintain the Cinema in the longer term and to keep ticket prices at an affordable level. Over the coming months we will regularly review progress on our future plans and hope very much to be able to re-open the Cinema sooner rather than later."
On Friday 7th April 2017, following tireless work by a team of volunteers, films returned to the Empire, when “The Girl on the Train”, starring Emily Blunt, was screened. As the film shows are interspersed with the live events, they are restricted to Wednesday Afternoon Matinees and Friday Night Film Night, plus children’s matinees on Saturdays or Sundays.
Contradicting the assertion above, that film shows were re-introduced in 2012, the history page on the Empire’s website confirms that films had not been shown since July 2005. By that time, audiences had dwindled following the opening, in November 2002, of the Cineworld at Braintree. Now, the advent of digital projection has led to an increase in the number, and popularity, of community cinemas, and it is to be hoped that the good citizens of Halstead will support these film shows at the Empire.
By April 2017 the nightclub had closed, and the building was disused.
Small Cinema sadly closed on Sunday 30th April 2017, following an announcement that Crown Buildings were to be put up for sale for redevelopment. The cinema went out on a high, with a full weekend programme that culminated with “Together” (2000), directed by Lucas Moodysson, which was followed by a Grand Closing Party. According to its website, it has welcomed over 8,000 people to 270 screenings in its relatively short life.
Thankfully, the future of Small Cinema is being discussed by its volunteer team. I certainly hope that alternative premises can be found, and that this wonderful independent can be resurrected.