Vernon Picture House

Opened on 19th January 1917, the Vernon Picture House took its name from the street it is situated upon. It lies in the Nottingham suburb of Upper Basford at the corner of Vernon Road and Southwark Street. It had a 17 feet wide proscenium and in 1930 was equipped with a Western Electric(WE) sound system. By 1948 it had been taken over by Levin’s Invincible Cinema Circuit. It appears to have had an uneventful life until closure on 27th August 1961 when the final films were “The Monolith Monsters” and “Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy”. From 2nd September 1961 it was re-opened as a bingo club, which closed in 1990.

It is now an industrial unit operated by Flashing Services Ltd.

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

Ian on February 19, 2010 at 4:00 am

Exterior shot from February 2010 here:–

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4366850477/

Ian on August 23, 2015 at 4:06 am

Contrary to the above information the cinema is surprisingly intact inside. The stalls floor has been levelled but the Edwardian plasterwork is in good contion, I think the original square proscenium arch survives, as does the small balcony.

Photos from August 2015 (with thanks to Flashing Services Ltd for access)

SIDE EXTERIOR

AUDITORIUM FROM REAR

PLASTERWORK

BALCONY FRONT

BALCONY VIEW

Carlamather on September 21, 2016 at 5:55 pm

Hi I would like to ask for your help please ? I am in search of the manager/ projectionist name who worked at the Forum cinema in 1944/45 . Possibly going by the name Upton ? We are led to believe that he had a son called Mike Upton . Who would now be mid 80’s ?? Or if anybody know his son ? I would be so grateful if you could help me . Or can advise the best way possible to retrieve this information some how .. Thankyou for reading …

Carlamather on September 21, 2016 at 5:57 pm

The forum cinema was based on Aspley lane . Please help somebody or if you could ask anybody who may know .

Thankyou