Picturedrome

In Hitchin, Hertfordshire, having already opened their Picturedrome in Bedford (see separate Cinema Treasures entry) photographic businessmen Jim and Archie Blake chose this town for their second purpose-built cinema.

Plans for this Picturedrome were submitted on 30th January 1911. The building was completed and inspected on 21st March that year, so presumably the Picturedrome opened around this time. There were 400 seats.

The Picturedrome’s success encouraged others to build the Playhouse (see separate Cinema Treasures entry). In response, the Blakes improved the Picturedrome by adding a balcony to accommodate a further 187 patrons and a new, tall, front elevation. The projection box was located under the balcony, behind the paybox. These alterations were to the plans of architect E.H.C. Inskip. It re-opened on 6th October 1913.

Live entertainment became ever more prominent, including an appearance by Marie Lloyd, boxing matches and amateur talent contests. By 1921 it had been renamed Blake’s Theatre, although films were still shown.

In January 1935 it was taken over by the owners of the Hermitage (see separate Cinema Treasures entry) and, after a period of closure, re-opened on Monday 26th October 1936, once again as the Picturedrome, with variety acts supporting the films.

However, the Picturedrome soon became redundant when the owners opened the Regal (see separate Cinema Treasures entry) in 1939. It closed “for the summer months” on 30th March 1940 with Annabella in “Bridal Suite” & Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in “Jump for Glory”. but never re-opened.

After being used for storage during the war, the building appears to have laid derelict until late-1963, when it was converted for industrial use, with the frontage being completely modernised.

In more recent times the building has been substantially altered and is now a large apartment block.

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