Red Lantern Cinema
75 High Street,
Herne Bay,
CT6 5LQ
1 person favorited this theater
Additional Info
Operated by: Union Cinema Co. Ltd.
Architects: J. Wilson
Styles: Neo-Classical
Previous Names: Cinema De Luxe, Bijou Theatre, Coliseum Cinema
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Opened as the Cinema De Luxe on the 7th August 1911 it closed within months and underwent alterations by architect J. Wilson in early 1912 to re-open on 19th August 1912 as the Bijou Theatre screening films as well as staging variety shows and concerts on its stage.
It had another change of name in around 1919 when it became the Coliseum Cinema. In 1926 it came under the new ownership of Archibald Iggulden and the name was changed to Red Lantern Cinema. In 1936 it was taken over by Union Cinemas chain (together with the nearby Casino Cinema) but running two cinemas in a small seaside town in the middle of Winter was not profitable, so the Red Lantern Cinema was closed from September 1937. It never re-opened the following May as was expected.
It became a clothing factory for many years, then in more recent times a shop known as Spender’s Arcade. More recently it has become an antique furniture store/arcade known as Briggsy’s. The word ‘Pictures’ is still to be seen in the stonework on the facade above the entrance. Inside a floor has been built across the auditorium and windows let into the side walls, but there is still much of the original plaster decoration on view.
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
Suffered a major fire in 1980s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW0E8p9RFPE
Briggys restored the frontage and upper storey windows in 2000s but the old domed glass entrance forecourt remains covered up.
Video showing rare photos of the entrance, foyer and auditorium as The Red Lantern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijEbdT6l0g4
Seen on an episode of Antiques Road Trip in(2010?), David Harper vs Anita Manning(episode 1), episode 26 overall.