Sadly, the Queen’s Hotel and the former cinema area, last used as a market hall, were demolished and a new Queen’s Market has been built on the site. Plans were first presented in 2018 by the Council, the building fronting the promenade (by then the Savoy Hotel & Fusion Nightclub) being described as ‘dilapidated with no active uses on upper floors and significant void levels on the ground floor’. The seperate Queen’s Market was still in use as such. The overall cost of replacement was £14.5m for a glass and metal structure.
Along with the market, the space also contains a food hall, leisure facilities and a multi-use hall area.
An altogether very welcome conclusion for this site. Facade retained and restored, a lovely cinema returned to the site with all the modern bells and whistles, plus the all to common flats built as well.
A true model of what can be done given the will.
Urban Explorers have entered this complex. The place has been stripped of all seating and projection equipment. Businesses nearby have also closed, and it’s slated for demolition already!
To answer surf_digby, the former auditorium is known as Princess Works, Lavender Walk, Pontefract Lane, Leeds, LS9 8JB. It currently (2026) has Brian Rook (Builders) Ltd. as the occupant.
This cinema was built behind the Royal Exchange Building, and used the Royal Exchange Chambers entrance to the building to gain access to it. This was a corner entrance to the building, I have uploaded a picture of the building showing this entrance.
The facade, as shown in the current picture is a completely new rebuild for retail and flats above, only the former auditorium remains unaltered behind the new. The independent operator after ABC was Percy Dyche in 1944, Western Electric sound is noted as well as 547 seats, proscenium width was 25ft. according to the 1944 KYB.
The Cavendish is still listed in the 1966 KYB, with 600 seats operated by Palace (Keighley) Ltd. but booked by W.A. Judge in Leeds. The screen is quoted as being 19ft by 11ft within the 33ft proscenium.
I really have my doubts about the pictures of the cinema posted onto here. The location according to the old map uploaded has been destroyed, swallowed up by the Airedale Centre which was built around 1968 and updated with a new a roof in the 1980’s. The postcode of Coffee Love, approximately located where the cinema was is BD21 3PQ. The Wild’s Bakery shown is located the wrong side of the road to where the cinema used to be, and is at Low Street, Airedale Centre, with a postcode of BD21 3PP.
Previously called the Spartan Theater. The Alconbury Theater closed on the 3rd March, 2013. The last film was The Hobbit. The theater had opened at the new site in 1960. A deal was struck with Cineworld for permanently reduced priced admissions for those serving at both RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth. The last operators were known as The Army and Air Force Exchange Service.
This road was previously a part of Church Street before being renamed. L/Cpl Stephen Shaw received his Military Cross for exceptional bravery whilst serving in Afghanistan. For more information on this military hero, please search his name online.
The Picture Palace is still listed in the 1966 KYB as being operated by Star Cinemas of Leeds, seating 649 with a Western Electric sound system. I suspect that the 1964 bingo advertising was Cine-Bingo, where both cinema and bingo operated in the same premises on a shared basis. Star often did this to test the waters before committing to bingo full-time.
Sadly, the Queen’s Hotel and the former cinema area, last used as a market hall, were demolished and a new Queen’s Market has been built on the site. Plans were first presented in 2018 by the Council, the building fronting the promenade (by then the Savoy Hotel & Fusion Nightclub) being described as ‘dilapidated with no active uses on upper floors and significant void levels on the ground floor’. The seperate Queen’s Market was still in use as such. The overall cost of replacement was £14.5m for a glass and metal structure.
Along with the market, the space also contains a food hall, leisure facilities and a multi-use hall area.
This was built where the boiler house/chimney stack and coal bunker was located previously.
An altogether very welcome conclusion for this site. Facade retained and restored, a lovely cinema returned to the site with all the modern bells and whistles, plus the all to common flats built as well. A true model of what can be done given the will.
A recent change of ownership means a new name. Now known as the North Bay Playhouse.
Buzz Bingo is set to close on 31st January, 2026.
A large fire all but finished off this cinema in 1962. However, by then, its fate had already been decided and demolition came the following year.
Urban Explorers have entered this complex. The place has been stripped of all seating and projection equipment. Businesses nearby have also closed, and it’s slated for demolition already!
The fire was on Wednesday, 24th June, 1970.
To answer surf_digby, the former auditorium is known as Princess Works, Lavender Walk, Pontefract Lane, Leeds, LS9 8JB. It currently (2026) has Brian Rook (Builders) Ltd. as the occupant.
Operated as the Palace Cinema by P.H. (Holbeck) Ltd. in 1944.
This cinema was built behind the Royal Exchange Building, and used the Royal Exchange Chambers entrance to the building to gain access to it. This was a corner entrance to the building, I have uploaded a picture of the building showing this entrance.
First film shown was ‘Sailing Along’ starring Jessie Matthews and Barry MacKay (1938).
The facade, as shown in the current picture is a completely new rebuild for retail and flats above, only the former auditorium remains unaltered behind the new. The independent operator after ABC was Percy Dyche in 1944, Western Electric sound is noted as well as 547 seats, proscenium width was 25ft. according to the 1944 KYB.
Postcode should be CA12 4NB, there is no such postcode as CA13 5HL.
Opened by the General Cinema Theatres circuit, it passed to Lou Morris in 1947.
The Cavendish is still listed in the 1966 KYB, with 600 seats operated by Palace (Keighley) Ltd. but booked by W.A. Judge in Leeds. The screen is quoted as being 19ft by 11ft within the 33ft proscenium.
I really have my doubts about the pictures of the cinema posted onto here. The location according to the old map uploaded has been destroyed, swallowed up by the Airedale Centre which was built around 1968 and updated with a new a roof in the 1980’s. The postcode of Coffee Love, approximately located where the cinema was is BD21 3PQ. The Wild’s Bakery shown is located the wrong side of the road to where the cinema used to be, and is at Low Street, Airedale Centre, with a postcode of BD21 3PP.
By 1944 the cinema was operated by J.F.I. Minton trading as County Cinema Enterprises, Market Street, Castle Donington.
Address should be 2, Northfield Road, EX34 8AL.
The building still stands within the USAF controlled RAF Alconbury site. As such, it is still off-limits to the general public.
Previously called the Spartan Theater. The Alconbury Theater closed on the 3rd March, 2013. The last film was The Hobbit. The theater had opened at the new site in 1960. A deal was struck with Cineworld for permanently reduced priced admissions for those serving at both RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth. The last operators were known as The Army and Air Force Exchange Service.
In 1944 the cinema was operated by Majestic Cinema (Pocklington) Ltd., but it was booked by the Tower, Leeds.
This road was previously a part of Church Street before being renamed. L/Cpl Stephen Shaw received his Military Cross for exceptional bravery whilst serving in Afghanistan. For more information on this military hero, please search his name online.
The Picture Palace is still listed in the 1966 KYB as being operated by Star Cinemas of Leeds, seating 649 with a Western Electric sound system. I suspect that the 1964 bingo advertising was Cine-Bingo, where both cinema and bingo operated in the same premises on a shared basis. Star often did this to test the waters before committing to bingo full-time.
More recently (July 2025), the building has been smartened up nicely and is home to Porcelain Twenty Two, wall and floor tile importers.