Sorry Ken, but your not quite right on a few things. Once the site of the Ritz was cleared after demolition, it became a car park, which it is to this day (I should know, I parked my car in what was the stalls!) Regal House stands opposite where this cinema was. Also, due to the ABC take-over, the Ritz never had a fly-tower, in spite of having a large stage and dressing rooms as you say. The Wurlitzer Organ also had no piano attachment, however a ‘visiting’ piano was brought in on occasion when the organ was featured. There was also no restaurant ever installed, again, cut-backs due to to the ABC take-over. It would appear that the Ritz/ABC was scaled back quite considerably due to the take-over by the ABC chain. It wasn’t demolished until several years after it had closed, I think, 1986/7.
Sorry Ken, but your not quite right on a few things. Once the site of the Ritz was cleared after demolition, it became a car park, which it is to this day (I should know, I parked my car in what was the stalls!) Regal House stands opposite where this cinema was. Also, due to the ABC take-over, the Ritz never had a fly-tower, in spite of having a large stage and dressing rooms as you say. The Wurlitzer Organ also had no piano attachment, however a ‘visiting’ piano was brought in on occasion when the organ was featured. There was also no restaurant ever installed, again, cut-backs due to to the ABC take-over. It would appear that the Ritz/ABC was scaled back quite considerably due to the take-over by the ABC chain. It wasn’t demolished until several years after it had closed, I think, 1986/7.