Tower Cinema

In New Brighton, a seaside resort on the Wirral, between 1896 and 1897, a great new entertainment complex was constructed overlooking the River Mersey. Its most distinctive feature was a 620ft tower (slightly higher than Blackpool’s famous Tower built in 1895), with a large ballroom at ground level, together with the huge, 3,000-seat Tower Theatre, with a proscenium 45ft wide and a stage that was 72ft deep. There were twelve dressing rooms. The building also contained a café and a tea room.

The Tower Theatre was opened in 1898 and variety performances and musical revues predominated in the theatre, but in 1904 the summer season included a presentation of Animated Pictures by the Royal Bioscope.

In April 1907 “The Truly Wonderful Chronophone Talking, Singing and Dancing Pictures” were being advertised as part of the variety shows then, from 1920, the theatre was being advertised as the Tower Cinema, with shows every evening at 8pm.

Lack of maintenance during the war had caused the steel Tower to deteriorate, and it was demolished between 1918 and 1921. However, the rest of the complex carried on, with films continuing during the 1920’s, with occasional reversions to stage entertainment.

By the late-1920-s the huge stage had become home to two badminton courts (years later, patrons recalled watching films in the theatre while waiting to play badminton!).

But by this time the huge theatre was very cold and draughty. Audiences dwindled and the Tower Cinema closed down in 1928.

The theatre did continue, with wrestling and occasional concerts, and then, from Saturday 29th May 1954, a continuous performance of comedy films and marionettes on the stage was advertised for the summer season, on Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm to 6pm. The final performance was on Sunday 22nd August 1954, after which the theatre was not used for showing films again.

Eventually, after several years of disuse, the end finally came on 5th April 1969, when the whole complex was destroyed in a spectacular fire.

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.