Plaza Cinema

Biffaskin on September 8, 2023 at 4:17 pm

Now in use, as of 2023, as a charity shop/volunteer centre called ‘My Impact Centre’.

HJHill on February 11, 2013 at 9:33 pm

The façade isn’t stone. The walls behind the projection room and along the exposed auditorium flank are of red brick (unusual for 1914 Bradford) with white faïence details to door and window lintels, etc; the (now decapitated) entrance feature is white faïence, and the rear of the stage is of Bradford sandstone. I recall the roof originally being slate, but could be wrong.

The mid-1950s cinemascope screen was within a rectangular box proscenium erected in front of the (now exposed) classical proscenium. It extended between the two corners at which the wall steps back to form recesses for exits. The new tabs were pale bluey/green. Those in the original proscenium were, in early 1950s, red with three horizontal gold stripes towards the bottom. Later in the 50s the auditorium was redecorated and new ceiling lamps fitted (giving a rather stark light); and splayed boards were inserted between the side corners of the new proscenium and the side walls, with gaps beneath for access to the exits.

I, too, went to the Saturday 10 a.m. children’s matinee. It was not the packed rowdy house that the repeat was at 2 p.m. (Also, if money was available, I could then go to the 2 p.m. children’s matinee at The Grange further down Great Horton Road.)

Ken Roe on May 26, 2010 at 12:18 pm

Photographed as the Royal Bingo Club in February 2008:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atoach/2267560336/