It was listed in the Kine Year Book of 1914 with 1,100 seats, by 1954 was reported as having 905 seats, two dressing rooms and a stage 16 feet deep with a proscenium 22 feet wide and was run by Ogden Theatres Circuit ( a small Manchester company running 11 cinemas) who seem to have owned it for a considerable time. It is also listed in Dobson’s Theatre Year Book 1948 – a live theatre directory – with 1,048 seats. There are reports that the theatre staged live shows on Sundays throughout the War. Offered ‘for sale’, together with La Scala Cinema in Hollinwood, in February 1958, it was purchased by the church of St Mary (The Immaculate Conception) whose 1845 building became unsafe and required rebuilding. The Grand was converted and consecrated as a temporary place of worship in 1959 and continued until a new church opened in 1964. The Grand then underwent a variety of uses including the Christian Cultural Centre. Seriously damaged by a fire in 2012, it was demolished not long after.
Not all cinemas closed – yet. I have just seen Military Wives this morning at the Savoy in Grantham. They have stopped doing allocated seating, are doing extra cleaning, and ask patrons to allow two empty seats between parties (as well as all the usual advice). In fact there were only four of us in so isolation was not a problem at 10:30am.
In 2017 the Ritz was forced to close by the Ritz Hotel in London who threatened legal action if the 70+ year old name was not changed. It reopened later the same year as Venue 73.
I think that “rebuilt” is an unfortunate choice of word, the original cinema was adapted with two screens below the balcony, which was extended forwards to create a three screen venue. The fourth screen was added later on the original stage.
By June 2020 it was being refurbished as “Heat”
PICTUREDROME
Demolished – probably towards end of C20th.
Opened 1st May 1975.
Some additional information:–
It was listed in the Kine Year Book of 1914 with 1,100 seats, by 1954 was reported as having 905 seats, two dressing rooms and a stage 16 feet deep with a proscenium 22 feet wide and was run by Ogden Theatres Circuit ( a small Manchester company running 11 cinemas) who seem to have owned it for a considerable time. It is also listed in Dobson’s Theatre Year Book 1948 – a live theatre directory – with 1,048 seats. There are reports that the theatre staged live shows on Sundays throughout the War. Offered ‘for sale’, together with La Scala Cinema in Hollinwood, in February 1958, it was purchased by the church of St Mary (The Immaculate Conception) whose 1845 building became unsafe and required rebuilding. The Grand was converted and consecrated as a temporary place of worship in 1959 and continued until a new church opened in 1964. The Grand then underwent a variety of uses including the Christian Cultural Centre. Seriously damaged by a fire in 2012, it was demolished not long after.
Not all cinemas closed – yet. I have just seen Military Wives this morning at the Savoy in Grantham. They have stopped doing allocated seating, are doing extra cleaning, and ask patrons to allow two empty seats between parties (as well as all the usual advice). In fact there were only four of us in so isolation was not a problem at 10:30am.
Interior shot from 2002 here:–
RITZ BALLROOM AUDITORIUM
In 2017 the Ritz was forced to close by the Ritz Hotel in London who threatened legal action if the 70+ year old name was not changed. It reopened later the same year as Venue 73.
https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/ritz-ballroom-forced-close-all-future-events-cancelled-1108386
If the illustratration really is the former Heath Theatre then it appears to survive as the Cote Brasserie
https://www.google.com/maps/Fox Theatre.0009556,-0.10562,3a,75y,278.75h,90.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1siobiiWeR1ZJpPnwHq8ESdA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Photos taken in November 2019 here:–
FACADE
FOYER
SCREEN 1 – BALCONY
SCREEN 5 – CAFE
Photos (as Buzz Bingo Club) from October 2019 here:–
ADELPHI – EXTERIOR
ADELPHI – BALLROOM
ADELPHI – BALCONY
ADELPHI – FRONT STALLS & STAGE
Photos of the Empire taken in October 2019 here:–
SLOUGH EMPIRE – ENTRANCE
SLOUGH EMPIRE – SCREEN 6
SLOUGH EMPIRE – SCREEN 5
SLOUGH EMPIRE – SCREEN 4, PLANET THEATRE
Sad news indeed. His knowledge and inexperience were vast.
Another exterior view taken in September 2019
CORBY CUBE
An exterior view of the side from September 2019 here:–
CORBY SAVOY
Open again as the Deco Theatre, with live shows only. Photos from September 2019:–
SAVOY THEATRE – EXTERIOR
SAVOY THEATRE – FORMER SCREEN 2
SAVOY THEATRE – PROSCENIUM FROM CIRCLE
SAVOY THEATRE – AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE
Some photos from September 2019 here:–
ODEON CORBY – FACADE
ODEON CORBY – AUDITORIUM EXTERIOR
ODEON CORBY – PROSCENIUM & SPLAY WALL
ODEON CORBY – SPLAY WALL
Photos from September 2019 here:–
GAUMONT ROSE HILL – EXTERIOR AS MECCA
GAUMONT ROSE HILL – AUDITORIUM TO REAR
GAUMONT ROSE HILL – ACROSS AUDITORIUM
GAUMONT ROSE HILL – CIRCLE FOYER
and an older photo from 1988ish showing the facade better :–
GAUMONT ROSE HILL – AS TOP RANK
Photo taken in 1998, not long before the building was demolished:–
QUEENS HALL
Photos of the Empire, taken in 2019, here:–
FOYER
SCREEN 8 – IMPACT BLUE
SCREEN 3 – IMPACT RED
SCREEN 2 – D-BOX
I think that “rebuilt” is an unfortunate choice of word, the original cinema was adapted with two screens below the balcony, which was extended forwards to create a three screen venue. The fourth screen was added later on the original stage.
SEATING
During 2019, now under control of Picturedrome Electric Theatre Co., the Luxe has had a total refurbishment. Photos from 2019 :–
LUXE – EXTERIOR
LUXE – AUDITORIUM
With the opening of the Light and Luxe Cinemas in town, the Angles is almost entirely focussed on Live performances.
Two images from 2019:–
ANGLES – EXTERIOR
ANGLES – AUDITORIUM
There is indeed a wealth of original detail remaining – some photos from June 2019
EXTERIOR
PROSCENIUM & SPLAY WALL
VIEW FROM REAR
Some photographs from June 2019:–
THE VENUE – EXTERIOR
THE VENUE – SCREEN
THE VENUE – AUDITORIUM
An album of photographs showing the former Reel Cinema, its demolition, and the construction of the Savoy Cinema can be found here:–
C21st CINEMA IN GRANTHAM