Fleet Cinema

Situated on the Orkney island of Flotta, close to the ferry terminal, the Fleet Cinema was once part of the Home Fleet’s Naval Recreation Centre. This large complex included a gymnasium, squash courts, recreation rooms, a dance hall, a Toc-H Christian centre and two NAAFI canteens.

It was built by the Royal Marine Engineers and, when it opened, in July 1943, it was apparently the largest military cinema in Europe. Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet, conducted the opening ceremony, which included a stage show and a film show. Actor and comedian Arthur Askey was present, and many other stars, including Gracie Fields, subsequently performed there.

In August 1943 King George VI attended a church service in the cinema during a visit to the Home Fleet.

In January 1944 an episode of the popular wartime radio show “It’s That Man Again”, starring Tommy Handley, was recorded there.

It is assumed that the cinema closed when the Home Fleet’s base at Scapa Flow closed in 1956.

The gable wall, the roof of the main hall and all the internal features were removed during the 1970’s, when the building was re-purposed as a sand storage facility during the construction of the adjacent Flotta Oil Terminal, which opened in 1976. (The roof was removed to Kirkwall, on the main island, where it was re-erected on the garage belonging to D. Peace.)

Nevertheless, although the auditorium is an empty shell, the entrance, foyer and projection box are still intact, and sloping ledges at either side of the auditorium indicate the circle seating.

However, the block on the rear inside wall, containing a plaque reading “ADMIRAL SIR BRUCE FRASER LAID THIS STONE FEBRUARY 29TH 1941”, is rather misleading, as this originates from the nearby Naval Fleet Club: When that was demolished, the block was used to fill a hole in the cinema’s wall!

Looked at today, the building appears to be the ‘wrong way round’, with the entrance facing inland, while what would have been the rear wall faces the picturesque Scapa Flow. However, when it was constructed, the area around the building was much more open; the spruce plantation that now rises up ‘behind’ the building was planted by naval ratings during the war, with additional planting during the 1980’s following the opening of the oil terminal.

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