Ritz Cinema
The Common,
Crich,
DE4
The Common,
Crich,
DE4
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Miles Byrne Group
Functions: Housing
Previous Names: Picture House, Cinema
Nearby Theaters
Located in the village of Crich, Derbyshire (which since 1960 has been the home of the National Tramway Museum). The Picture House was opened in 1925. It was a fairly plain brick building which had a corrugated iron roof. It was equipped with a Marshall sound system. It was listed as (Closed) in 1937. It had re-opened by 1944.
By 1947 it had been re-named Cinema and a Gyrotone sound system had been fitted. It now boasted a cafe attached. By 1953 the Cinema had 122 seats, and the proscenium was 18ft wide. The reduction in the seating capacity was due to some seats being removed to allow for dancing.
By 1958 it had been taken over by the Miles Byrne circuit and was re-named Ritz Cinema, with 300 seats. By 1966 it had been equipped with a GB-Kalee sound system. It had closed by the late-1960’s and was converted into the Tors Spring factory. They had moved out in 1999 and the building has been converted into a house.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
The Tors Spring factory moved to a new site in 1999 off of The Common in the former Ritz Cinema, which has now been turned into a house.
The Derbyshire Times ran an article on the 1st November, 1924 advising that Crich was to have it’s own cinema. It was opened by John Heath and John Marsden Heath (father and son partnership) as the Crich Cinema Co. at a cost of £1100. Searing approximately 300, it had no balcony. Sound was added in January 1930, the first sound film shown was ‘Noah’s Ark’ commencing on the Monday, 13th January 1930. Prices rose on that date too, they had fitted ‘Sound Apparatus’
John Heath also rented the Public Hall in Belper at £250 per year and operated this hall as well as the Picture House as it was called in Crich.
Sadly, all of this came to an end when both were declared bankrupt, appearing before the bench to explain themselves with an article published again in the Derbyshire Times on the 27th September, 1930.
Mr G.A. Broad then took over, having been an employee for the Heaths. He came to a sad demise barely six months during a power cut. He and a representative from the electricity company were trying to locate the fault when Mr. Broad fell from a ladder against a lamp column. He died of his injuries the same day.
Managed by Mrs. M.O. Broad (his widow) until 1941 when Mr. F.R. Gill took over.