Clive Picture House

The Clive Picture House was established in the former Red Lion Flannel Factory in Church Street, which was lying unused after a long time in industrial use. It is not known when it was built, but it was certainly up for sale in 1832, so must have preceeded that time by some considerable period.

It was owned by Messrs Donaldson and MacDougall who had owned the town’s Picturedrome. They gutted the interior and added a new brick built foyer at the front and provided access both front and back by road from Church Street and by alleyway from Severn Street.

The cinema was named in honour of Lord Clive of India, who had historic roots in the town. The venue was a success and continued the Picturedrome policy of one show per night with programmes changed twice weekly on Mondays and Thursdays. Again there was no shows on Sundays apart from the occassional religious show.

In around 1936 Guy Baker came onto the scene with his embrionic Paramount Picture Theatres group and purchased the Clive Picture House. When he opened the Pola Cinema in 1938, the Clive Picture House was reduced to very much secondary status, finally closing in 1945, although retained by Baker as offices and for film storage.

After Guy Bakers death in 1983 the offices were closed and the Clive Picture House was converted into apartments with the foyer area taken over by a car components shop(Mark’s Auto Accessories), in which guise it remains with a plaque affixed to the former foyer wall commemorating its past.

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