Evington Cinema
378 E. Park Road,
Leicester,
LE5 5AY
378 E. Park Road,
Leicester,
LE5 5AY
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Evington Cinema Circuit
Architects: Ernest H. Smith
Functions: Office Space
Styles: Neo-Classical
Nearby Theaters
Located on the corner of East Park Road and Chesterfield Road in the Evington district east of the city. The site had previously housed St. Thomas church, which was built in corrugated iron. The Evington Cinema opened on 16th October 1916 with Madame Jane Hading in "The Spirit of France". A ladies orchestra provided the music (local men were away fighting in World War I). It had a columned veranda over the entrance, and the façade was dominated by a hexagonal tower on each side. Seating in the auditorium was provided for 778 in the stalls and 200 in the circle.
Always independently operated, the Evington Cinema became the head office for a small chain of local Leicester cinemas. In April 1970, it was sold to another operator for use as an Asian cinema screening ‘Bollywood films, but this use ceased in 1978, and the building lay empty and unused, apart from being used as a shelter for some homeless people. In November 1984, the building was seriously damaged by a fire, leaving the auditorium roofless. Four teenagers were charged with arson.
The auditorium section of the building was demolished in 1989 and a block of flats named Scarborough House was built on the site. The façade and foyer area were saved to be used for offices for Fara Estates, and is known as Fara House.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
The former Evington Cinema facade can be seen in the background of this November 2009 photograph:
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There is another picture of the former cinema’s facade on this webpage: http://www.faraestates.co.uk/fe/project1.asp
My mum and dad saw Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong there in 1956. My mum remembers being shoved under the seat by her brother when they went to see Westerns as a child. I never personally visited but I did see and was so impressed by its impressive twin tower exterior and took a snap of it the week before the original name sign was taken down.
Look at that building. Isnt it impressive.
Grand opening ad posted.