Essoldo Hartlepool
78 York Road,
Hartlepool,
TS26 8AA
78 York Road,
Hartlepool,
TS26 8AA
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Essoldo Circuit (Contol) Ltd.
Architects: William Illingworth
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Regal Cinema
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A fine free-standing building, the independently operated Regal Cinema opened 15th December 1936, designed by William Illingworth. The main façade is on a three sided plan, with five tall arched windows containing critall type steel frames and Art Deco style metalwork with wavy lines and a scallop-shell motif. They are arranged; one in each outer flank and three in the centre above the main entrance. The bulk of the auditorium is in red brick.
The cinema was renamed Essoldo Theatre after it was taken over in 1955. It was closed on January 9, 1965 with Yul Brynner in “Flight From Ashiya” & Stewart Granger in “The Secret Invasion”. It became an Essoldo Bingo Club, later a Carlton Bingo Club which closed on 6th November 2018.
The bingo operation had served the building well and interior is little altered, retaining the flanking grilles either side of the proscenium (width 42 feet), seating in the circle, and the original plasterwork throughout the building. Only the stalls seating has been replaced with tables and chairs. In early-summer of 2023 it was converted into a community centre, but this had closed by early-January 2025.
Contributed by
Ian Grundy
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Photos of the Essoldo here:–
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The Regal / Essoldo is now known as the Carlton Bingo Club.
The stalls floor, although with seats replaced by tables, retains a saucer rake. More photos of the Regal / Essoldo / Carlton, taken in January 2008 here:–
Exterior:
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Interior:
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Photo uploaded.
Bingo operation ended on Tuesday 06th November 2018. The last of Hartlepools original cinema buildings left in use. Now being stripped of gambling machines
Now in the process of being transformed into a community hub including a food bank and arts crafts etc. Nice to see it at the centre of the community again.
the building is again out of use and since the fire which destroyed the Odeon along the road, this is now the only surviving original cinema building in Hartlepool, with just the modern Vue cinema at the Marina still in use
The Regal was the third cinema in Hartlepool to be equipped for CinemaScope and the only one with 4 track mag. stereo sound. The Robe opened on Monday November 29th 1954 and the cinema became the home of Fox CinemaScope films, which continued under Essoldo ownership.
The Essoldo closed on Saturday January 9th 1965 after a weeks run of Flight From Ashiya and Secret Invasion.