The Birks opened on 3 July 1939 and was built for Strathmore Cinemas. According to Internet sources the first film was “Sixty Glorious Years”. It closed in 1982 citing economic reasons. No other sources state it was ever a snooker club although it did have a couple of pool tables presumably from the days of the amusement centre. A “Golden Ticket” event reopened the cinema on the date given with the first public screening a day later. Actor Alan Cumming, who was born in the town, became its patron and “officially” opened the cinema in December 2013. The frontage was originally in Snowcrete.
The Playhouse opened in February 1934 and closed sometime during 1979 when the building was put up for sale. The British Legion moved in but closed the social club in March 2014 owing to falling attendances, and the building is now empty. Bingo was held at the cinema three times a week in the 1960s when the address was known as 5 Beach Street.
An Lanntair first opened 8th March 1985 in the former Council Chambers of Stornoway Town Hall, before the opening of the new-build Arts Centre in 2005.
The venue operates as an art gallery, theatre, cinema, a dance studio, a concert hall, and a platform for poetry and literature. The space can accommodate up to 220 people in a variety of configurations, has removable raked seating, and features a unique system which lifts the walls to the bar and restaurant, transforming the venue into an exciting space for larger events. The first performance at the centre was “I Was a Beautiful Day” by Iain Finlay MacLeod.
The cinema closed in 2014 and remained so for 18 months until the £3.5 million Centenary Project eventually began in early 2016. It was expected to be finished in March 2017 but is now behind schedule. Highlights of the restoration are as follows:
Restoration of the historic auditorium with seating for 197; 119 in the stalls, 74 in the balcony
Restoration of the unique art nouveau frontage
Transformation of annexe to provide a new foyer/café
Creation of a multi-purpose exhibition space
Creation of a second state-of-the-art cinema auditorium in the rear courtyard with 54 seats
More information at: www.campbeltownpicturehouse.co.uk/restoration
Film weekends were held at Victoria Hall on a monthly basis but finished on 7 May with Whisky Galore.
David and Barbara Stone bought the business in 1974 renaming it the Gate. More recently it was with the Oasis art-house chain but became part of the Picturehouse family in 2003. Martin Scorcese used the auditorium in his adventure “Hugo” and the cinema will also feature in the upcoming Paddington 2. In regards to the brothel, the hotel’s register often listed around 150 gentlemen a day for a mere 15 rooms which were rented by the hour.
The Centre comprises a three-screen cinema and the 360-seat Simon Ryan Theatre opened on 5 May 2001 by the then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. It also offers dance classes, workshops, an art gallery, cafe, conference facilities and a family research unit. Wow! The cinema was due to close in June 2013 owing to the economic climate, and again in February 2017 with the rest of the building so that the new library could move in, but it appears to be still open as of May 2017.
Mr Hoult was the original operator when the cinema opened. Bank House was apparently a former convent. The building was also a Vivo supermarket in the 1970s
The cinema had been closed for more than 15 years because of a lack of demand and investment, but reopened as the Beau Cinema on 26 October 2014.
The auditorium was refurbished with digital projection and 3D capability. Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park was the first film screened to the public.
Unusually the snooker club was based upstairs rather than in the stalls. I made several visits here in the late 1980s. A change of management meant I didn’t get the free frames that I used to. A small fruit machine arcade was located in a side shop on Hoe Street.
On the 26th August 2016 new plans were submitted to the Planning Department for the demolition of the church and the construction of 2x two bedroom retirement homes by the philanthropist Sir David Kirch following the purchase of the property that March.
The Savoy opened in 1936 with “Anthony Adverse” and closed in March 1985 with Ghostbusters. Jack Parle was projectionist here for 36 years. The Watergate Theatre has occupied the building since 1993. The total capacity is 328 seats (253 downstairs and 75 in the balcony).
The New Cinema was opened by Amalgamated Entertainment on 18 April 1947 with “Underground” and was the Regent from 1951 under Abbey Films. It closed on 9 August 1998 with “Outer Space”. It also hosted concerts from The Dubliners and Christie Moore and Planxty. The site is now Regent House and includes a physiotherapy clinic.
Reputedly the first silent film shown here was “The Gamble” with Renee Adoree and Conrad Nagel. It was a single-floor cinema. Between films and bingo it was the Team Beat Club which closed in 1963. In October 2014 the name was changed yet again to Oscar’s, a cinema style pub, which closed in June 2015 but reopened again that December only to close again in December 2016.
The Palace was built in 1912 and was showing films by February 1913. It was operated originally by RTA Pictures, reputedly the initials of the partners in the company. Subsequent owners included J & G Howdle in 1925 and A & H Wood in 1932. An installation by Tony Harrison called Promethius was set up here in 1977.
It reopened as the Regal Community Theatre in 1995 and operates with a combination of paid staff and volunteers. The entrance foyer has original terrazzo floor and the auditorium has a capacity of 206 with tiered seating and 120 when cabaret space is set up. A film society hires the space and shows films twice a month. Regal Radio, a community station for West Lothian, broadcasts from the theatre.
The Scunthorpe Telegraph shows a different building and states it was demolished sometime after 1976. I shall investigate further. More info at: http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/remember-cinemas-scunthorpe/story-29375616-detail/story.html
Each auditorium is equipped with the very latest in Sony 4K digital projection and Dolby surround sound systems. It hosts two 3D screens, installed March 2013, and two wheelchair accessible auditoriums. Photo added today.
According to the theislandwiki.org site the Royal Hall was demolished for West’s Cinema, and that the cinema opened on 24 September 1923. It closed after the last performance on 30 December 1972.
The Metro was a venture by The Other Cinema which was originally set up as a film distribution business. It screened its first film at the Scala in King’s Cross in 1971. The renaming to The Other Cinema was simply a tribute to the company’s roots. Hefty rent rises are believed to be behind the decision to close.
The Birks opened on 3 July 1939 and was built for Strathmore Cinemas. According to Internet sources the first film was “Sixty Glorious Years”. It closed in 1982 citing economic reasons. No other sources state it was ever a snooker club although it did have a couple of pool tables presumably from the days of the amusement centre. A “Golden Ticket” event reopened the cinema on the date given with the first public screening a day later. Actor Alan Cumming, who was born in the town, became its patron and “officially” opened the cinema in December 2013. The frontage was originally in Snowcrete.
The Playhouse opened in February 1934 and closed sometime during 1979 when the building was put up for sale. The British Legion moved in but closed the social club in March 2014 owing to falling attendances, and the building is now empty. Bingo was held at the cinema three times a week in the 1960s when the address was known as 5 Beach Street.
An Lanntair first opened 8th March 1985 in the former Council Chambers of Stornoway Town Hall, before the opening of the new-build Arts Centre in 2005.
The venue operates as an art gallery, theatre, cinema, a dance studio, a concert hall, and a platform for poetry and literature. The space can accommodate up to 220 people in a variety of configurations, has removable raked seating, and features a unique system which lifts the walls to the bar and restaurant, transforming the venue into an exciting space for larger events. The first performance at the centre was “I Was a Beautiful Day” by Iain Finlay MacLeod.
An Lanntair is Gaelic for “The Lantern”.
The cinema closed in 2014 and remained so for 18 months until the £3.5 million Centenary Project eventually began in early 2016. It was expected to be finished in March 2017 but is now behind schedule. Highlights of the restoration are as follows:
Restoration of the historic auditorium with seating for 197; 119 in the stalls, 74 in the balcony
Restoration of the unique art nouveau frontage
Transformation of annexe to provide a new foyer/café
Creation of a multi-purpose exhibition space
Creation of a second state-of-the-art cinema auditorium in the rear courtyard with 54 seats
More information at: www.campbeltownpicturehouse.co.uk/restoration
Film weekends were held at Victoria Hall on a monthly basis but finished on 7 May with Whisky Galore.
David and Barbara Stone bought the business in 1974 renaming it the Gate. More recently it was with the Oasis art-house chain but became part of the Picturehouse family in 2003. Martin Scorcese used the auditorium in his adventure “Hugo” and the cinema will also feature in the upcoming Paddington 2. In regards to the brothel, the hotel’s register often listed around 150 gentlemen a day for a mere 15 rooms which were rented by the hour.
The Centre comprises a three-screen cinema and the 360-seat Simon Ryan Theatre opened on 5 May 2001 by the then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. It also offers dance classes, workshops, an art gallery, cafe, conference facilities and a family research unit. Wow! The cinema was due to close in June 2013 owing to the economic climate, and again in February 2017 with the rest of the building so that the new library could move in, but it appears to be still open as of May 2017.
Mr Hoult was the original operator when the cinema opened. Bank House was apparently a former convent. The building was also a Vivo supermarket in the 1970s
The cinema had been closed for more than 15 years because of a lack of demand and investment, but reopened as the Beau Cinema on 26 October 2014. The auditorium was refurbished with digital projection and 3D capability. Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park was the first film screened to the public.
Unusually the snooker club was based upstairs rather than in the stalls. I made several visits here in the late 1980s. A change of management meant I didn’t get the free frames that I used to. A small fruit machine arcade was located in a side shop on Hoe Street.
Having looked at the matter further I must deduce that there was both a Grand Theatre and a Grand Cinema, the cinema being further up the road.
On the 26th August 2016 new plans were submitted to the Planning Department for the demolition of the church and the construction of 2x two bedroom retirement homes by the philanthropist Sir David Kirch following the purchase of the property that March.
Further details for architecture buffs at: http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=TN®no=22312016
The Savoy opened in 1936 with “Anthony Adverse” and closed in March 1985 with Ghostbusters. Jack Parle was projectionist here for 36 years. The Watergate Theatre has occupied the building since 1993. The total capacity is 328 seats (253 downstairs and 75 in the balcony).
The New Cinema was opened by Amalgamated Entertainment on 18 April 1947 with “Underground” and was the Regent from 1951 under Abbey Films. It closed on 9 August 1998 with “Outer Space”. It also hosted concerts from The Dubliners and Christie Moore and Planxty. The site is now Regent House and includes a physiotherapy clinic.
Reputedly the first silent film shown here was “The Gamble” with Renee Adoree and Conrad Nagel. It was a single-floor cinema. Between films and bingo it was the Team Beat Club which closed in 1963. In October 2014 the name was changed yet again to Oscar’s, a cinema style pub, which closed in June 2015 but reopened again that December only to close again in December 2016.
The Palace was built in 1912 and was showing films by February 1913. It was operated originally by RTA Pictures, reputedly the initials of the partners in the company. Subsequent owners included J & G Howdle in 1925 and A & H Wood in 1932. An installation by Tony Harrison called Promethius was set up here in 1977.
It reopened as the Regal Community Theatre in 1995 and operates with a combination of paid staff and volunteers. The entrance foyer has original terrazzo floor and the auditorium has a capacity of 206 with tiered seating and 120 when cabaret space is set up. A film society hires the space and shows films twice a month. Regal Radio, a community station for West Lothian, broadcasts from the theatre.
New photo added today.
The Scunthorpe Telegraph shows a different building and states it was demolished sometime after 1976. I shall investigate further. More info at: http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/remember-cinemas-scunthorpe/story-29375616-detail/story.html
Each auditorium is equipped with the very latest in Sony 4K digital projection and Dolby surround sound systems. It hosts two 3D screens, installed March 2013, and two wheelchair accessible auditoriums. Photo added today.
Guernsey’s first talkie, Showboat, screened at the Lyric on 9 December 1929.
Built as a Scottish Presbyterian Church in 1840, turned into a skating rink and dance-hall then cinema for moving pictures, demolished about 1970.
Operated by Ashley Whyatt who runs two cinemas in Essex and Kent. The opening film was reputed to be Bridget Jones’s Baby.
According to the theislandwiki.org site the Royal Hall was demolished for West’s Cinema, and that the cinema opened on 24 September 1923. It closed after the last performance on 30 December 1972.
The Metro was a venture by The Other Cinema which was originally set up as a film distribution business. It screened its first film at the Scala in King’s Cross in 1971. The renaming to The Other Cinema was simply a tribute to the company’s roots. Hefty rent rises are believed to be behind the decision to close.