Rialto Cinema

Bebington Road,
Bebington, CH62

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Bedford Cinemas (1928) Ltd., Regent Enterprises Ltd.

Functions: Church, Retail

Styles: Art Deco

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Rialto Cinema

Located at the corner of Bebington Road and Alma Street in Bebington, to the south of Birkenhead, Merseyside. The Rialto Cinema was opened on 27th July 1933 with Sonnie Hale in “Tell Me Tonight”. The 1934 edition of Kinematrograph Yearbook lists the operators as rhe Liverpool based Regent Enterprises Ltd. chain. It was operated by the Liverpool independent operator Bedford Cinemas(1928) Ltd. It was an attractive building, built in plumb-coloured brick, with a white stone band across the top of the façade. The auditorium was designed on a stadium plan, with a raised stepped section at the rear, rather than a conventional overhanging balcony. The proscenium was 40ft wide. The Rialto Cinema was equipped with a Compton ‘Baby’ 2Manual/5Ranks organ which had an illuminated console that was located in the orchestra pit (but not on a lift). It was opened by organist Albert E. Askew. The cinema was equipped with a Western Electric(WE) sound system. There was a free car park at the rear of the cinema which held 100 cars.

The Rialto Cinema was closed in the summer of 1961 with Michael Craig in “Payroll” and “Clue of the New Pin”. It became a warehouse for a removals and storage company. In the late-1980’s it became a Breaks snooker club.

The building has been demolished and the site is now a car park for a new Aldi supermarket.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Philip Picturedrome
Philip Picturedrome on February 6, 2016 at 9:28 am

1982 photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/24221611303/in/dateposted/ It was never a church, but the name of the Removal firm – “Bishop’s Move” – seems to have confused somebody.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 21, 2021 at 4:48 pm

Grand opening ad posted. It featured free parking.

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