I did a holiday management relief there… 1973… The central heating system was odd The boiler ran on fine coal powder blown into the boiler. ABC still used coal there because the cinema was in a coal mining area.. The cinema had just been repainted Best described as Bingo vile Hmm soon after it became Bingo..
Well Bingo had different Licensing rules It was a social Club at the very start Drink had to be separate but rules were relaxed.. Cinemas today that is designed for the more mature age group are now allowed booze in the auditorium They are referred to as Boutique Cinemas..
No There was no Bar during the Cinema era. That type of cinema would never be allowed a Bar.
My own cinema for one night only had a temporary bar for Racing Car Films which was bought in by a Caterer If they had have done something like that it could have been done . But ordinary films it was a no no because people would end up taking their glasses into the auditorium .
I hasten to add we only allowed them to get a temporary licence once but found we could not control the glass problem .. So we refused to do it again as we did not want to get on the Bad side of the licensing Authority
Yes There was bars in the Bingo times The curved section at the top was a head of a staircase That curve was reshaped from memory with the new build of the bowling alley
John Bruckshaw I can tell you that there was no bar in the Cinema side I did relief Management there The business alas did not warrant a bar. Plus The Birmingham Licensing Authority would not have allowed it. Except for Road Show cinemas or Cinemas that did live shows.
Terry The Empire was one of the many oddities on ABC It was still owned by the Clifton syndicate in disguise :0) Most of Birmingham ABCs and Wolverhampton was by the same arrangement ASSOCIATED BRITSH CINEMAS meant what it said on the label. They had the Mayfair Circuit which was an arrangement with Essoldo
I believe that architects was Hickton and Farmer of Walsall which is near by. The Building has many design features that Harry Farmer employed in his cinema work.
Richard Horstall Did not design the Theatre as such he acted as local agent for Roland Satchwell His duties was to be present to sign off the weekly stages of work and to deal with any issues locally
Reports are in the rear is now demolished.
Having studying the Pictures of the cinema I believe it was designed by Hickton and Farmer who designed a number of cinemas around the area
Was Owned by Parry Enterprise Ltd who also owned The Waldolf Sparkbrook
From 1962 ABC cinema had a policy in dropping the name eg Ritz and standardising to ABC for their main theatre in a town or area .
I still have the original painting
I did a holiday management relief there… 1973… The central heating system was odd The boiler ran on fine coal powder blown into the boiler. ABC still used coal there because the cinema was in a coal mining area.. The cinema had just been repainted Best described as Bingo vile Hmm soon after it became Bingo..
Photo Maureen Rushton
Vic Oliver was the Son-in-law of Winston Churchill
Well Bingo had different Licensing rules It was a social Club at the very start Drink had to be separate but rules were relaxed.. Cinemas today that is designed for the more mature age group are now allowed booze in the auditorium They are referred to as Boutique Cinemas..
No There was no Bar during the Cinema era. That type of cinema would never be allowed a Bar.
My own cinema for one night only had a temporary bar for Racing Car Films which was bought in by a Caterer If they had have done something like that it could have been done . But ordinary films it was a no no because people would end up taking their glasses into the auditorium .
I hasten to add we only allowed them to get a temporary licence once but found we could not control the glass problem .. So we refused to do it again as we did not want to get on the Bad side of the licensing Authority
Yes There was bars in the Bingo times The curved section at the top was a head of a staircase That curve was reshaped from memory with the new build of the bowling alley
Forgot to mention Joseph Cohen of Jacey Cinemas was one of the partners that built the place.
John Bruckshaw I can tell you that there was no bar in the Cinema side I did relief Management there The business alas did not warrant a bar. Plus The Birmingham Licensing Authority would not have allowed it. Except for Road Show cinemas or Cinemas that did live shows.
Terry The Empire was one of the many oddities on ABC It was still owned by the Clifton syndicate in disguise :0) Most of Birmingham ABCs and Wolverhampton was by the same arrangement ASSOCIATED BRITSH CINEMAS meant what it said on the label. They had the Mayfair Circuit which was an arrangement with Essoldo
When Cinemas had theta names. They were always Prefixed with ABC even when they were just managed cinemas
Picture by curtesy of M M Jervis
This was a picture of the Local Home Guard on parade during WW2
I believe that architects was Hickton and Farmer of Walsall which is near by. The Building has many design features that Harry Farmer employed in his cinema work.
The Frontage was designed by Archibald Hurley Robinson. Take a look at the Capitol Alum Rock. Birmingham
Yes and Business was also effected by the Vue cinema Gravely Hill and the new one a Solihull after the opened.
Richard Horstall Did not design the Theatre as such he acted as local agent for Roland Satchwell His duties was to be present to sign off the weekly stages of work and to deal with any issues locally
Latest Gossip Wetherspoons will be re-opening the Imperial as they are still paying rent on the site. £75,000 per anum until 2047 ….
I will have a look through the files..
I remember Patrick he worked for me part time I have some photos of Patrick I think with the rest of the staff
surf digby Have put comments on your picture of the exterior.