3 new photos added from 1936- Mickey Mouse Club membership card from 1936.
The Mickey Mouse Club was County Cinemas children’s Saturday morning cinema club.
Aldershot boasted 3 County Cinemas owned houses – Pavilion, Alexandra and Empire cinemas. The Empire was the grandest of the 3 and probably ran its own club.
New photo added showing the fan shaped outline of the auditorium.
Internally, the auditorium was only slightly wider in the rear stalls compared to at the proscenium. An internal exit stairway from the circle ran down both sides of the auditorium and emerged either side of the stage out to street level.
The Ritz/ABC was built on a sloping site with the stage at the lowest point so no site excavation was required to acheive a rake for the stalls. Only the organ chambers were below the front stalls level.
On the rear wall of the stage was a small chamber that projected beyond the rear wall to accommodate the sound horn behind the screen. Although there is no standard fly tower, there was a grid above the stage for stage lighting battens and the house tabs could be flown upwards rather than opening to each side of the screen but this was rarely done as there was also rise & fall festoon tabs for stage presentations.
On the roof near the front there are 2 white ‘cabins’ either side of the projection suite exhaust outlets – but I have no idea what they were used for!
Listing application submitted & currently being considered by government. This has put the redevelopment plans of Ashford Borough Council on hold – read the story here:
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/town-centre-revamp-left-in-limbo-214000/
New photo added showing the start of the end for what was once a quite luxurious neighbourhood cinema. Photo shows the roof stripped off and the exposed steel roof trusses.
Enjoyed a wonderful 2 weeks holiday at the former military base some years ago and saw the Astra cinema but completely forgot to take a photo of the cinema.
Stayed in the former Officer’s Mess which is now the main bar & restaurant of Equator Village and close to the Astra.
Lovely place – no small wonder it was the dream posting for HM Forces!
There is a campaign by the CTA to get Ashford Borough Council to retain the cinema and invest in providing a civic theatre for the town rather than build yet more flats.Lets hope they succeed!
Shepway District council is the local authority.
Swale Borough council is Sittingbourne.
The auditorium contains a large illuminated circular dome in the ceiling fitted with coloured glass panels.
The balcony ‘stepping’ is unusual in that it is constructed of moveable/removable interlocking cement blocks rather than cast in situ concrete stepping.
Jerry Morgan, who bought the Savoy from Star cinemas when it was on bingo, also ran De Luxe bingo situated at the bottom of Grace Hill (former Co-op store now demolished) and also ran bingo in a former Dover cinema (Essoldo). Both the Dover & Folkestone former cinemas operated under the name of Rio Bingo.
New photo added from 1988
3 new photos added from 1936- Mickey Mouse Club membership card from 1936. The Mickey Mouse Club was County Cinemas children’s Saturday morning cinema club. Aldershot boasted 3 County Cinemas owned houses – Pavilion, Alexandra and Empire cinemas. The Empire was the grandest of the 3 and probably ran its own club.
New photo added
I have added Photo of the long demolished Avenue Electric Theatre
New photo added showing the fan shaped outline of the auditorium. Internally, the auditorium was only slightly wider in the rear stalls compared to at the proscenium. An internal exit stairway from the circle ran down both sides of the auditorium and emerged either side of the stage out to street level. The Ritz/ABC was built on a sloping site with the stage at the lowest point so no site excavation was required to acheive a rake for the stalls. Only the organ chambers were below the front stalls level. On the rear wall of the stage was a small chamber that projected beyond the rear wall to accommodate the sound horn behind the screen. Although there is no standard fly tower, there was a grid above the stage for stage lighting battens and the house tabs could be flown upwards rather than opening to each side of the screen but this was rarely done as there was also rise & fall festoon tabs for stage presentations. On the roof near the front there are 2 white ‘cabins’ either side of the projection suite exhaust outlets – but I have no idea what they were used for!
New photo added of the auditorium, balcony, gallery (gods), side box and good view of the decorative plaster ceiling
Listing application submitted & currently being considered by government. This has put the redevelopment plans of Ashford Borough Council on hold – read the story here: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/town-centre-revamp-left-in-limbo-214000/
New photo added showing the start of the end for what was once a quite luxurious neighbourhood cinema. Photo shows the roof stripped off and the exposed steel roof trusses.
Enjoyed a wonderful 2 weeks holiday at the former military base some years ago and saw the Astra cinema but completely forgot to take a photo of the cinema. Stayed in the former Officer’s Mess which is now the main bar & restaurant of Equator Village and close to the Astra. Lovely place – no small wonder it was the dream posting for HM Forces!
The rear half of the former circle has ben partioned off and incorporated into a new function space.
Currently being converted into flats. Photo taken at the rear in Oakbank Road uploaded under the photo tab
The Pavilion is 90 years old today.
Advert for a 1960’s pop show, The Ronettes no less, staged at the Rex
New b&w photo added: Auditorium just before final film presentation in 1984
The Electric Theatre was designed by Harold Falkner and built by Mardon & Mills according to local Records in Farnham
I do hope the original ceiling treatment is restored to the proscenium opening.
There is a campaign by the CTA to get Ashford Borough Council to retain the cinema and invest in providing a civic theatre for the town rather than build yet more flats.Lets hope they succeed!
Broadway Super Cinema under construction photo added
New photo added – a young Empire usher taking a break
New photo added – soon after opening 1935
The auditorium contains a large illuminated circular dome in the ceiling fitted with coloured glass panels. The balcony ‘stepping’ is unusual in that it is constructed of moveable/removable interlocking cement blocks rather than cast in situ concrete stepping.
Jerry Morgan, who bought the Savoy from Star cinemas when it was on bingo, also ran De Luxe bingo situated at the bottom of Grace Hill (former Co-op store now demolished) and also ran bingo in a former Dover cinema (Essoldo). Both the Dover & Folkestone former cinemas operated under the name of Rio Bingo.
New photo of the ABC/Broadway whilst still showing films added at the photo tab
Photo of the exterior of the Odeon,Fleet added at the photo tab
Photo taken during the farewell organ concert 17/09/1967 Added at photo tab
New photo added.