Gaiety Cinema
40 Long Street,
Thirsk,
YO7 1AW
40 Long Street,
Thirsk,
YO7 1AW
1 person
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Located in the North Yorkshire town of Thirsk. The Gaiety Cinema opened in July 1914 in Long Street, outside the town centre. It seems possible that it did not pay well enough to convert to sound and the owners might have been led to desperate measures.
It burnt down one night in 1930 but not completely enough to disguise the fact that a highly inflammable 78rpm gramophone record had been placed on every seat!
It subsequently became a garage and is now a tire depot.
Contributed by
Ian Grundy
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
The Gaiety was opened by my Great Uncle, John Bell, originaly as a music hall type of venue.
After the fire it was converted into a Garage by his brother, David (My Great Grandfather), it was bought by the Walker family in the early 60’s then sold off piecemeal for housing on the old orchard behind and the tyre depot at the front.
I still live in the family home four doors down, and as a quirk of fate am a volunteer projectionist at the Ritz Cinema in town !
The tale regards the 78’s on the seats, is as far as my research goes, (John’s Niece, my Great Aunt, is still alive), an urban myth.