During a trip to south-west Ireland, a friend and I visited the Movie Junction on 29th August 2017 to see “The Hitman’s Bodyguard”, starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. Naturally, given the long hours of daylight, there was only one screening each evening in each screen: “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” started at 9.30pm, while “Rough Night”, starring Scarlett Johansson, started at 10.30pm. Our film was in Screen 2; this has no canopies, but it was a clear, dry night. The whole set-up is pretty ‘rough and ready’, but the picture quality was excellent and the soundtrack came through on the car radio just fine. It was a wonderful experience!
This cinema is situated in the Blackpool Retail Park and Shopping Centre. When I called in, I was told that it opened in 2005. This ties in slightly better with the Park’s opening date of 2000. It is one of two Reel cinemas, the other being at Ballincollig, a few miles to the west of Cork.
According to the lady manning the front desk at the Bantry museum, the Cinemax (and the adjoining apartments) were constructed by local builders Bob Munane and Gerard O'Shea. The Cinemax apparently opened in early 2000. (This date ties in with the closure, in the late 1980s, of the town’s other cinema, the Stella.)
When I visited Bantry, in August 2017, the former Stella was up for sale, with only part of the front being used by the administration staff of the Bantry Show. They kindly allowed me to look around, but there was no trace of the building’s former life as a cinema or other place of entertainment.
I then visited the town’s museum, where the lady manning the front desk, a life-long resident, told me the Stella was built in 1920. Long-time projectionist Fred Burkett had a photography shop in the town. The 1940 Kine Year Book (KYB) lists the proprietor as W. McSweeney, with films booked at Tralee (and seating for 400); the lady had said it was owned by Mrs McSweeney, of Tralee. The 1953 KYB lists the proprietor as A. McSweeney, possibly W. McSweeney’s widow. (The 1953 KYB lists seating for 600, a 7ft wide proscenium and a 15ft deep stage.) Later, the Stella was owned by Rex Murphy, and managed by his son Gerard. Sadly, Gerard died in a boating accident in 1985. The Stella apparently continued for a few more years, but closed in the late 1980s. (Please note: This history is based on the lady’s recollections, having been put ‘on the spot’ when I suddenly turned up, and details I later discovered in the KYBs. So I would welcome any clarification or further information that other contributors can provide!)
After many years of gradual dereliction, and the devastating 2015 fire, Hong Kong-based Sky Eagle Properties Ltd bought the building in 2016 for £750,000. Their planning application seeks permission for 24 flats, with shops and a community centre on the ground floor. As can be seen from my series of photographs, demolition took place between October/November 2016 and August 2017. This seemed an inordinately long time, although I believe at least two demolition contractors were involved, as the Victorian bricks in the fly tower were carefully removed and crated up to be reused.
As Nick says in the Overview, this really is the height of luxury! I visited on Sunday 20th August 2017 to see “The Dark Tower”, starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, and treated myself to one of the premium VIP seats along the back row. This cost £10, on top of the standard admission price of £14.95, but, as a treat, it was well worth it for the sheer luxury! The staff were very welcoming, and the show was introduced by a member of staff, all of which provided a nice personal touch.
The Wetherspoon pub, The Picture Playhouse, opened in July 2017. As it occupies the space previously used by the Playhouse/Curzon and the Cinema de Luxe, it provides something of a ‘2 for 1’ for us cinema buffs!
The Wetherspoon pub, appropriately named The Picture Playhouse, finally opened in July 2017. It includes the space previously occupied by the Cinema de Luxe next door, making this something of a ‘2 for 1’ treat for us cinema buffs!
No, it screens art-house and mainstream films. I do not know why it has such an unusual name. Perhaps it started as a children’s cinema. The name is certainly misleading now.
Yes, David, although “actueel” is Dutch for “current”. So presumably the name in English would be something like “Cinema Now”. I should have included this in my Overview.
I believe this cinema opened circa July 2016, following the closure of the associated Cinem'actueel, which was in the town centre. This multiplex is operated by C.Cinemas, which also runs the City Bioscoop in Roosendaal and the Cine-Service in Etten-Leur, both towns not far from Bergen op Zoom. It’s a strange design, in that the best view, of the glazed foyer/bar, is from the busy main road, whereas patrons walking from the car park see only rather daunting, plain blank walls.
On a visit to Liege in August 2017 I happened to stay in the Ibis hotel overlooking the street where the Crosly was situated. As can be seen from my photograph, a large number of buildings, including No. 14 (the cinema’s address) have been demolished, leaving a large swathe of vacant ground. So, assuming the cinema’s address is correct, the building has been demolished. Perhaps another contributor will be able to absolutely confirm this.
I visited the Empire on Friday 28th July 2017 to see “The Godfather”, starring Marlon Brando and Robert de Niro. For the time being, at least, films are shown from DVD/Blu-ray. I was made very welcome by members of the Trust, and John, the projectionist, was pleased to show me around before the film started. A very enjoyable evening.
On its convenient, out of town location, this is a worthy addition to the Cineworld circuit. I visited on Sunday 23rd July 2017 and enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s epic “Dunkirk” in Screen 1, the largest, which has a ‘box’ at the rear with two seats and wheelchair space. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 240; Screen 2: 118; Screen 3: 155; Screen 4: 129; Screen 5: 75 and Screen 6: 220.
In April 2013 owner Nadine Smith, who acquired the business as a bar and snooker hall in 1984, and developed it into a bar, snooker and events venue, decided to retire. The business was put on the market at £395,000. It re-opened as BAR62 in 2014.
The Depot is extremely attractively laid out, with three very comfortable auditoriums behind a spacious lounge/bar. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 142, Screen 2: 126 and Screen 3: 37. When I visited, on Monday 3rd July, I saw the reissue of the Dustin Hoffman/Anne Bancroft classic “The Graduate”. I was made very welcome.
The Regal was purchased by Brian Currie, owner of Fordingbridge-based Corintech electronics company. He hoped the flats that have been constructed within it will help him recruit young engineers who would otherwise struggle to secure accommodation.
Happily, his £1m scheme included the 30-seat cinema, which is located immediately behind the entrance foyer, where the rear stalls would have been. There are five rows, each with six very comfortable, nicely raked seats. Projection is from DVD/Blu-ray, with state-of-the-art projection and sound systems, complete with motorised masking. A separate bar has been constructed at the left hand side of the building. I gather there are plans for an outdoor seating area.
Just about the only reminder of the ‘old’ Regal is the external ladder to the former projection room, on the right hand side of the building.
Mr Currie originally hoped to open the new Regal at the end of May 2017, although that was never a firm date. In the event, it opened on Friday 30th June, with screenings of the classic thriller “Casablanca” that day, Saturday and Sunday.
The cinema is operated as the Fordingbridge Regal Cinema Club, with admission restricted to members and guests, and with tickets only available on-line, not on the door. I arrived mid-afternoon on the Sunday. I tried to make contact beforehand, but without success, so I simply turned up. By sheer chance, there was just one ticket still available for the matinee screening, and an extremely kind volunteer arranged for his wife, who was at home nearby, to purchase that ticket on-line for me! So I was able to enjoy “Casablanca” with a packed, enthusiastic audience.
This weekend was something of a ‘try-out’, with all seats priced at £4.50. There will then be a gap before the full programme, with three films to be screened each weekend, starts in August. Seats will then cost £9.00.
The volunteers were extremely welcoming, and they clearly have a great passion for this community cinema. I wish all concerned all the best for this splendid venture.
In early July 2017 Butlins announced that, from Wednesday 19th July, local residents would no longer be able to sign in at the entrance to gain access to the cinema. The company said this is so they know who is on the site at all times. Residents will still be able to access the camp’s facilities, including the cinema, by purchasing a £200 annual family ticket.
I visited the Kino on Saturday 24th June 2017 to see “Churchill”, starring Brian Cox. I was made very welcome by the manageress. The cinema is in splendid shape, with 210 ‘traditional’ seats in the circle and 20 extremely comfortable two-seat sofas in the stalls.
Operator Graeme Reekie is a true ‘film’ buff, and I was delighted to see a leaflet (see Photos) advertising a series of Saturday screenings of classic films on 35mm.
I visited this transformed cinema on Friday 23rd June 2017, when I saw “Gifted”, starring Chris Evans and Lindsay Duncan. I was delighted to see how it has been imaginatively converted into a true community asset.
The former auditorium has been divided in half, with almost equal space now devoted to the new auditorium and the café/function space. A mezzanine floor has been inserted above the foyer/bar/café, creating a multi-purpose function area upstairs. Meanwhile, the new auditorium, sideways on from the original, has comfortable, raked seating with four two-seat sofas along the back row. Full-height glazing has been punched into the side wall of the café area, allowing plenty of light in.
For trivia buffs, I gather that “birks” is the Scottish name for birch trees. Robert Burns wrote a poem ‘The Birks of Aberfeldy’, which presumably inspired the cinema’s rather unusual name.
In March 2011 pub company J. D. Wetherspoon was given permission to undertake a £1.1m conversion of the former Victoria. The resulting pub was scheduled to open on 7th June 2011; presumably it did open on that date.
It is named The Gordon Highlander, in commemoration of the only survivor of the ten locomotives built at the Inverurie Loco Works. (The loco itself is on display at the Scottish Railway Museum.) There is, however, some acknowledgement of the building’s cinematic past in a heritage board commemorating architect Tommy Scott Sunderland.
During a trip to south-west Ireland, a friend and I visited the Movie Junction on 29th August 2017 to see “The Hitman’s Bodyguard”, starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. Naturally, given the long hours of daylight, there was only one screening each evening in each screen: “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” started at 9.30pm, while “Rough Night”, starring Scarlett Johansson, started at 10.30pm. Our film was in Screen 2; this has no canopies, but it was a clear, dry night. The whole set-up is pretty ‘rough and ready’, but the picture quality was excellent and the soundtrack came through on the car radio just fine. It was a wonderful experience!
This cinema is situated in the Blackpool Retail Park and Shopping Centre. When I called in, I was told that it opened in 2005. This ties in slightly better with the Park’s opening date of 2000. It is one of two Reel cinemas, the other being at Ballincollig, a few miles to the west of Cork.
Seating capacities are: Screen 1:263; Screen 2:215; Screen 3:200; Screen 4:137; Screen 5:126; Screen 6:98 and Screen 7:94.
Seating capacities are: Screen 1:309; 2:250; 3:83; 4:129; 5:129; 6:77; 7: 45; 8:199; 9:173; 10:228 and 11:56.
According to the lady manning the front desk at the Bantry museum, the Cinemax (and the adjoining apartments) were constructed by local builders Bob Munane and Gerard O'Shea. The Cinemax apparently opened in early 2000. (This date ties in with the closure, in the late 1980s, of the town’s other cinema, the Stella.)
When I visited Bantry, in August 2017, the former Stella was up for sale, with only part of the front being used by the administration staff of the Bantry Show. They kindly allowed me to look around, but there was no trace of the building’s former life as a cinema or other place of entertainment.
I then visited the town’s museum, where the lady manning the front desk, a life-long resident, told me the Stella was built in 1920. Long-time projectionist Fred Burkett had a photography shop in the town. The 1940 Kine Year Book (KYB) lists the proprietor as W. McSweeney, with films booked at Tralee (and seating for 400); the lady had said it was owned by Mrs McSweeney, of Tralee. The 1953 KYB lists the proprietor as A. McSweeney, possibly W. McSweeney’s widow. (The 1953 KYB lists seating for 600, a 7ft wide proscenium and a 15ft deep stage.) Later, the Stella was owned by Rex Murphy, and managed by his son Gerard. Sadly, Gerard died in a boating accident in 1985. The Stella apparently continued for a few more years, but closed in the late 1980s. (Please note: This history is based on the lady’s recollections, having been put ‘on the spot’ when I suddenly turned up, and details I later discovered in the KYBs. So I would welcome any clarification or further information that other contributors can provide!)
After many years of gradual dereliction, and the devastating 2015 fire, Hong Kong-based Sky Eagle Properties Ltd bought the building in 2016 for £750,000. Their planning application seeks permission for 24 flats, with shops and a community centre on the ground floor. As can be seen from my series of photographs, demolition took place between October/November 2016 and August 2017. This seemed an inordinately long time, although I believe at least two demolition contractors were involved, as the Victorian bricks in the fly tower were carefully removed and crated up to be reused.
As Nick says in the Overview, this really is the height of luxury! I visited on Sunday 20th August 2017 to see “The Dark Tower”, starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, and treated myself to one of the premium VIP seats along the back row. This cost £10, on top of the standard admission price of £14.95, but, as a treat, it was well worth it for the sheer luxury! The staff were very welcoming, and the show was introduced by a member of staff, all of which provided a nice personal touch.
The Wetherspoon pub, The Picture Playhouse, opened in July 2017. As it occupies the space previously used by the Playhouse/Curzon and the Cinema de Luxe, it provides something of a ‘2 for 1’ for us cinema buffs!
The Wetherspoon pub, appropriately named The Picture Playhouse, finally opened in July 2017. It includes the space previously occupied by the Cinema de Luxe next door, making this something of a ‘2 for 1’ treat for us cinema buffs!
No, it screens art-house and mainstream films. I do not know why it has such an unusual name. Perhaps it started as a children’s cinema. The name is certainly misleading now.
Yes, David, although “actueel” is Dutch for “current”. So presumably the name in English would be something like “Cinema Now”. I should have included this in my Overview.
By August 2017 the Zara clothes store had relocated across the road, and the Cinema Majestic was home to a branch of the Bershka clothing chain.
I believe this cinema opened circa July 2016, following the closure of the associated Cinem'actueel, which was in the town centre. This multiplex is operated by C.Cinemas, which also runs the City Bioscoop in Roosendaal and the Cine-Service in Etten-Leur, both towns not far from Bergen op Zoom. It’s a strange design, in that the best view, of the glazed foyer/bar, is from the busy main road, whereas patrons walking from the car park see only rather daunting, plain blank walls.
My photographs, taken in August 2017, show that the Marivaux has been demolished and replaced by an apartment block.
On a visit to Liege in August 2017 I happened to stay in the Ibis hotel overlooking the street where the Crosly was situated. As can be seen from my photograph, a large number of buildings, including No. 14 (the cinema’s address) have been demolished, leaving a large swathe of vacant ground. So, assuming the cinema’s address is correct, the building has been demolished. Perhaps another contributor will be able to absolutely confirm this.
I visited the Empire on Friday 28th July 2017 to see “The Godfather”, starring Marlon Brando and Robert de Niro. For the time being, at least, films are shown from DVD/Blu-ray. I was made very welcome by members of the Trust, and John, the projectionist, was pleased to show me around before the film started. A very enjoyable evening.
On its convenient, out of town location, this is a worthy addition to the Cineworld circuit. I visited on Sunday 23rd July 2017 and enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s epic “Dunkirk” in Screen 1, the largest, which has a ‘box’ at the rear with two seats and wheelchair space. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 240; Screen 2: 118; Screen 3: 155; Screen 4: 129; Screen 5: 75 and Screen 6: 220.
In April 2013 owner Nadine Smith, who acquired the business as a bar and snooker hall in 1984, and developed it into a bar, snooker and events venue, decided to retire. The business was put on the market at £395,000. It re-opened as BAR62 in 2014.
The Depot is extremely attractively laid out, with three very comfortable auditoriums behind a spacious lounge/bar. Seating capacities are: Screen 1: 142, Screen 2: 126 and Screen 3: 37. When I visited, on Monday 3rd July, I saw the reissue of the Dustin Hoffman/Anne Bancroft classic “The Graduate”. I was made very welcome.
The Regal was purchased by Brian Currie, owner of Fordingbridge-based Corintech electronics company. He hoped the flats that have been constructed within it will help him recruit young engineers who would otherwise struggle to secure accommodation.
Happily, his £1m scheme included the 30-seat cinema, which is located immediately behind the entrance foyer, where the rear stalls would have been. There are five rows, each with six very comfortable, nicely raked seats. Projection is from DVD/Blu-ray, with state-of-the-art projection and sound systems, complete with motorised masking. A separate bar has been constructed at the left hand side of the building. I gather there are plans for an outdoor seating area.
Just about the only reminder of the ‘old’ Regal is the external ladder to the former projection room, on the right hand side of the building.
Mr Currie originally hoped to open the new Regal at the end of May 2017, although that was never a firm date. In the event, it opened on Friday 30th June, with screenings of the classic thriller “Casablanca” that day, Saturday and Sunday.
The cinema is operated as the Fordingbridge Regal Cinema Club, with admission restricted to members and guests, and with tickets only available on-line, not on the door. I arrived mid-afternoon on the Sunday. I tried to make contact beforehand, but without success, so I simply turned up. By sheer chance, there was just one ticket still available for the matinee screening, and an extremely kind volunteer arranged for his wife, who was at home nearby, to purchase that ticket on-line for me! So I was able to enjoy “Casablanca” with a packed, enthusiastic audience.
This weekend was something of a ‘try-out’, with all seats priced at £4.50. There will then be a gap before the full programme, with three films to be screened each weekend, starts in August. Seats will then cost £9.00.
The volunteers were extremely welcoming, and they clearly have a great passion for this community cinema. I wish all concerned all the best for this splendid venture.
In early July 2017 Butlins announced that, from Wednesday 19th July, local residents would no longer be able to sign in at the entrance to gain access to the cinema. The company said this is so they know who is on the site at all times. Residents will still be able to access the camp’s facilities, including the cinema, by purchasing a £200 annual family ticket.
I visited the Kino on Saturday 24th June 2017 to see “Churchill”, starring Brian Cox. I was made very welcome by the manageress. The cinema is in splendid shape, with 210 ‘traditional’ seats in the circle and 20 extremely comfortable two-seat sofas in the stalls.
Operator Graeme Reekie is a true ‘film’ buff, and I was delighted to see a leaflet (see Photos) advertising a series of Saturday screenings of classic films on 35mm.
I visited on Friday 23rd June 2017. This is another superb Wetherspoon conversion.
I visited this transformed cinema on Friday 23rd June 2017, when I saw “Gifted”, starring Chris Evans and Lindsay Duncan. I was delighted to see how it has been imaginatively converted into a true community asset.
The former auditorium has been divided in half, with almost equal space now devoted to the new auditorium and the café/function space. A mezzanine floor has been inserted above the foyer/bar/café, creating a multi-purpose function area upstairs. Meanwhile, the new auditorium, sideways on from the original, has comfortable, raked seating with four two-seat sofas along the back row. Full-height glazing has been punched into the side wall of the café area, allowing plenty of light in.
For trivia buffs, I gather that “birks” is the Scottish name for birch trees. Robert Burns wrote a poem ‘The Birks of Aberfeldy’, which presumably inspired the cinema’s rather unusual name.
In March 2011 pub company J. D. Wetherspoon was given permission to undertake a £1.1m conversion of the former Victoria. The resulting pub was scheduled to open on 7th June 2011; presumably it did open on that date.
It is named The Gordon Highlander, in commemoration of the only survivor of the ten locomotives built at the Inverurie Loco Works. (The loco itself is on display at the Scottish Railway Museum.) There is, however, some acknowledgement of the building’s cinematic past in a heritage board commemorating architect Tommy Scott Sunderland.