Electric Vaudeville Theatre

It was opened in December 1909 by Robert Hawkins and Arthur Pittman and could hold about 100 people. There are later references to it as the Bijou Picture Place and Bijou Theatre. Subsequent licensees were Walter Payne in April 1912 and Herbert Arthur Crane from January 1913. In 1913 it was going to be enlarged to bring the capacity up to 400 but the freeholder objected. Since the architect wanted to “pull the place down and start again” I am not surprised. Inspectors visited the property in March 1914 but the cinema had gone and the premises was a shooting gallery. Details from building case file at LMA.