Hi jonboywalton,
Mr Whale had those projectors, along with others, stored in the Plaza. I have no idea as to what happened to them all when he left the property I’m afraid.
Owners when opened were Rothwell Empire Ltd.(they also operated the Outwood Empire), passing to Rothwell Public Service Ltd. by 1933, the building then turned into the Empire Ballroom by 1935.
Rothwell Urban District Council purchased the Empire Ballroom from Rothwell Public Service Ltd. in 1959, and in just 14 days renovated the run down building with new tables, chairs and strip carpets to then re-open as the Blackburn Hall. It is thought to be named after a forner chairman of the UDC, Arthur Blackburn.
Proprietors in 1937 were Porters (Sandown) Ltd. The sunburst entrance was added to the building after January 1937, as the earlier Oddfellow’s Hall had a glass and wrought iron canopy still showing in a photograph of the building on the cover of a monthly programme booklet issued for that month.
Granada bingo according to the signage over the doors…
Darron
commented about
Balconyon
Jul 24, 2025 at 4:20 pm
The cinemas was opened on 17th November, 1928 with the silent film Ben Hur, accompanied by the sounds of an orchestra. Seating 448 in the stalls, and 162 in the small balcony, a total of 610 seats. There were no stage facilities, the screen being mounted on the rear auditorium wall, the orchestra seated below, with cloakroom and storage in the ‘wings’ either side of the screen in an angled proscenium opening. Plans for the Palladium are dated 8th May, 1928. Closure came two days short of the Palladium’s thirtieth birthday on 15th November, 1958.
After closure by Star, the auditorium area was flattened and used as a municipal workshop to repair and service the fleet of bin wagons and the like operated by the council.
With the demise of the Woolwich Building Society as a separate financial institution, the branch was closed some time ago now. Currently on the site in 2025 is ‘Palace Amusements’, a slot machine emporium.
Final details in the 1966 KYB gives Harry Spivey as sole proprietor. Cinemascope had been installed reducing the seating to 385, screen size was 21ft by 12ft, proscenium width 25ft.
Opened in 1913 with 800 seats under the management of Charles Nuttall, admission cost 2d to 6d. Seating had been reduced to 430 by 1944, but prices had risen to 3d to 10d, the proprietors were the Crosshills Picture House Co.
The final KYB that I have is for 1966. Cinemascope had been installed, so seating reduced to 374. Ownership had changed to Picture House (Glusburn) Ltd., prices now had risen to 1s9d to 3s! Screen size quoted as being 25ft by 10ft, proscenium width remained at 25ft throughout…
Post War, the Olympia staged summer shows, eventually settling to cater for the younger crowd with wrestling, skating, boxing, bingo and jiving all on offer. The venue described itself as ‘The Teenagers’ Rendezvous'.
The Tors Spring factory moved to a new site in 1999 off of The Common in the former Ritz Cinema, which has now been turned into a house.
The Derbyshire Times ran an article on the 1st November, 1924 advising that Crich was to have it’s own cinema. It was opened by John Heath and John Marsden Heath (father and son partnership) as the Crich Cinema Co. at a cost of £1100. Searing approximately 300, it had no balcony. Sound was added in January 1930, the first sound film shown was ‘Noah’s Ark’ commencing on the Monday, 13th January 1930. Prices rose on that date too, they had fitted ‘Sound Apparatus’
John Heath also rented the Public Hall in Belper at £250 per year and operated this hall as well as the Picture House as it was called in Crich.
Sadly, all of this came to an end when both were declared bankrupt, appearing before the bench to explain themselves with an article published again in the Derbyshire Times on the 27th September, 1930.
Mr G.A. Broad then took over, having been an employee for the Heaths. He came to a sad demise barely six months during a power cut. He and a representative from the electricity company were trying to locate the fault when Mr. Broad fell from a ladder against a lamp column. He died of his injuries the same day.
Managed by Mrs. M.O. Broad (his widow) until 1941 when Mr. F.R. Gill took over.
Hi jonboywalton, Mr Whale had those projectors, along with others, stored in the Plaza. I have no idea as to what happened to them all when he left the property I’m afraid.
Owners when opened were Rothwell Empire Ltd.(they also operated the Outwood Empire), passing to Rothwell Public Service Ltd. by 1933, the building then turned into the Empire Ballroom by 1935.
Rothwell Urban District Council purchased the Empire Ballroom from Rothwell Public Service Ltd. in 1959, and in just 14 days renovated the run down building with new tables, chairs and strip carpets to then re-open as the Blackburn Hall. It is thought to be named after a forner chairman of the UDC, Arthur Blackburn.
Slated to be demolished in 2026 once the lease on the bowling alley below the cinema complex expires.
Proprietors in 1937 were Porters (Sandown) Ltd. The sunburst entrance was added to the building after January 1937, as the earlier Oddfellow’s Hall had a glass and wrought iron canopy still showing in a photograph of the building on the cover of a monthly programme booklet issued for that month.
Granada bingo according to the signage over the doors…
The cinemas was opened on 17th November, 1928 with the silent film Ben Hur, accompanied by the sounds of an orchestra. Seating 448 in the stalls, and 162 in the small balcony, a total of 610 seats. There were no stage facilities, the screen being mounted on the rear auditorium wall, the orchestra seated below, with cloakroom and storage in the ‘wings’ either side of the screen in an angled proscenium opening. Plans for the Palladium are dated 8th May, 1928. Closure came two days short of the Palladium’s thirtieth birthday on 15th November, 1958.
Map location is completely wrong!
The retained facade now has a Co-Operative supermarket behind it. The Tivoli signage has also been retained.
After closure by Star, the auditorium area was flattened and used as a municipal workshop to repair and service the fleet of bin wagons and the like operated by the council.
Architect was Charles Mitchell.
Architect was Martin Pietzsch.
The ghost of the Warner Bros. shield logo can still be seen on the tower. Architect for the new Vue signage was Geddes Architects.
And, in 2025 it is still a vacant plot of land. What a waste of a good little cinema!
Built on the site of the former Green’s Playhouse, later known as the Apollo (which has its own entry here on Cinema Treasures).
Proprietors in the 1944 KYB are given as Thomas and Lewis W. Davies at Glamorgan House, Cymmer.
Photo taken c1984 apparently.
With the demise of the Woolwich Building Society as a separate financial institution, the branch was closed some time ago now. Currently on the site in 2025 is ‘Palace Amusements’, a slot machine emporium.
In 2025 this is a H&M Store.
Final details in the 1966 KYB gives Harry Spivey as sole proprietor. Cinemascope had been installed reducing the seating to 385, screen size was 21ft by 12ft, proscenium width 25ft.
In 1944 the cinema was operated by Rushford Estates Ltd. of Ripon, but booked in Leeds, seating was still at 652, prices ranged from 9d to 1s9d
Opened in 1913 with 800 seats under the management of Charles Nuttall, admission cost 2d to 6d. Seating had been reduced to 430 by 1944, but prices had risen to 3d to 10d, the proprietors were the Crosshills Picture House Co. The final KYB that I have is for 1966. Cinemascope had been installed, so seating reduced to 374. Ownership had changed to Picture House (Glusburn) Ltd., prices now had risen to 1s9d to 3s! Screen size quoted as being 25ft by 10ft, proscenium width remained at 25ft throughout…
Post War, the Olympia staged summer shows, eventually settling to cater for the younger crowd with wrestling, skating, boxing, bingo and jiving all on offer. The venue described itself as ‘The Teenagers’ Rendezvous'.
The Architect was Lynne Sproull..
A block of flats now stands on the former Cinema Hall site.
The Tors Spring factory moved to a new site in 1999 off of The Common in the former Ritz Cinema, which has now been turned into a house.
The Derbyshire Times ran an article on the 1st November, 1924 advising that Crich was to have it’s own cinema. It was opened by John Heath and John Marsden Heath (father and son partnership) as the Crich Cinema Co. at a cost of £1100. Searing approximately 300, it had no balcony. Sound was added in January 1930, the first sound film shown was ‘Noah’s Ark’ commencing on the Monday, 13th January 1930. Prices rose on that date too, they had fitted ‘Sound Apparatus’
John Heath also rented the Public Hall in Belper at £250 per year and operated this hall as well as the Picture House as it was called in Crich.
Sadly, all of this came to an end when both were declared bankrupt, appearing before the bench to explain themselves with an article published again in the Derbyshire Times on the 27th September, 1930.
Mr G.A. Broad then took over, having been an employee for the Heaths. He came to a sad demise barely six months during a power cut. He and a representative from the electricity company were trying to locate the fault when Mr. Broad fell from a ladder against a lamp column. He died of his injuries the same day.
Managed by Mrs. M.O. Broad (his widow) until 1941 when Mr. F.R. Gill took over.