Naval Base Cinema

At Lyness, on the island of Hoy, in the Orkney Islands, two large, linked corrugated sheds were built in 1917 to store paravanes (cable-towed torpedoes used to detonate naval mines). In the 1920’s these buildings were used by salvage company Cox and Danks, later to become Metal Industries.

In 1939, with the expansion of the Lyness Naval Base, the buildings became home to (among other uses) a restaurant, a reading room/restaurant for Chiefs and Petty Officers, NAAFI grocery shop, clothing store - and a small 200 seat cinema, at which there were two film shows each day.

By February 1940 the need for a larger recreational space became necessary. More of the buildings was taken over for entertainment and recreation, with the cinema seating being increased to 900 and a stage erected for live shows.

In March 1941 the area reserved for Chiefs and Petty Officers was converted into a Billiards Room, with four tables hired from the NAAFI. In 1942 this was partitioned into two rooms, one a quiet room with lounge furniture, while the second became a table tennis room. At this time the dressing rooms at the back of the stage were extended and increased to four, as the live shows increased in number and quality. Many celebrities appeared on stage, including Gracie Fields, Gertrude Lawrence, Vera Lynn, Tommy Handley, George Formby, Flanagan & Allen, John Mills, Will Hay and Yehudi Menuhin.

In 1943, to meet safety regulations, a new, spacious projection room was constructed. The cinema only had to be closed for two days while the work took place.

Also that year, the (flat floor) auditorium began to be used for badminton, dances and boxing tournaments. When in cinema use, there were by now three shows a day, with two changes of programme each week.

At the end of the war the buildings reverted to private ownership. By the time of my visit, June 2016, they appeared to be disused.

(I am indebted to John Hardcastle, of the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre and Museum, for this archival information and the archive photographs.)

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