Picture House

The ‘most comfortable provincial cinema in Northern Ireland’; this was the boast made by the owner of the Picture House in some of its press adverts during the 1930’s. It’s been suggested that the Picture House opened as early as 1912 although it was 1917 before it was listed in the Belfast and Ulster Street Directory. This showed the proprietor as the Portrush Estate Co. Ltd. The manager named in the 1918 edition was Robert Cooper.

The Kine Year Book (1927) still listed the proprietor as the Portrush Estate Co. Ltd., who appear to have owned it throughout its lifetime. The resident manager that year was still R. A. (Robert) Cooper.

In 1935 seating was 600 but increased to 650 the following year. Films (there were 3 changes weekly) were shown continuously during the summer season but reduced to a single showing nightly in the winter. There was a café on the premises.

In 1961 a block of buildings in the Main Street, mostly shops but including the Picture House, was sold to local businessman F. G. “Bertie” Blundell. The Picture House and the rest of the block was demolished and the Sportsland Amusement Arcade (owned by Blundell) erected in its place. Blundell was also responsible for the creation of the town’s famous Arcadia ballroom, erected 1953 and closed by the mid-1970’s; it was subsequently demolished.

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