Comments from PaulB52

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PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Scala Cinema on Feb 10, 2021 at 5:43 pm

In January 2021, the Conacher organ was acquired by the East Midlands Cinema Organ Association. It will be fully restored at our Centre near Melton Mowbray where it will reside in company with its sister organ from the Forum Cinema, Coventry.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Forum Cinema on Jan 24, 2020 at 1:38 am

The Conacher has now been purchased from storage in Kent and is in the hands of a small group East Midlands Cinema Organ Association, formed to support the restoration and maintenance of the instrument. The owner, Carl Heslop, is a professional organ builder and I am Secretary of the group. The organ is now based at the ‘New Forum’ our centre in Melton Mowbray. It is our intention to restore it to original condition but also to enable it to replicate one of the long-gone 22 Rank Conachers. We have already obtained pipework from the Conachers of the Ritz, Nottingham, Regal, Southampton, Regal, Hull and Regal, Wimbledon. Installation of a computer-based control system makes this possible. The console suffered significant water damage whilst stored in Kent and has had to be extensively re-built. However, the good news is that this survivor of a rare marque will once again be heard.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about New Empire Theatre on Mar 12, 2017 at 12:27 pm

I was in Southend this week (early March 2017) and took some pictures of the on-going demolition. They’re on my Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/albums/72157625218084863

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Gaumont Haymarket on Jun 19, 2016 at 4:46 pm

I have just (19.06.2016) uploaded a photograph of the organ in the church where it has been since 1960. Although modified, it retains much of its original pipework and some effects.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Ritz Cinema on Jun 14, 2016 at 6:53 pm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/27061597773/in/dateposted/ Still here in June 2016!

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Carlton Theatre on Jun 11, 2016 at 11:32 pm

I’ve added a photograph taken today, 11th June 2016, which shows further alterations to the frontage.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Harborne Picture House on Apr 17, 2015 at 1:42 pm

April 2015 photographs here … www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/16928222429/

or flickr les veuves ‘Birmingham Cinemas’

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Royalty Cinema on Apr 17, 2015 at 1:36 pm

If those links don’t work, go to flickr les veuves photostream and look at the album named ‘Birmingham Cinemas’

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Royalty Cinema on Apr 17, 2015 at 1:34 pm

April 2015 photographs here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/16491778434/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/17112694782/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/16494102943/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/17113597301/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/16926461418/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/17112733662/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/16491839224/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/17114283275/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/16928115179/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/28808395@N03/16491875474/in/photostream/

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Programme on Feb 18, 2013 at 12:17 am

The address is not strictly correct as the theatre was located part-way down Gold Street, this may have been done to encourage potential patrons away from the Majestic, which was at the ‘bottom’ of Gold Street.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Electric Pavilion on Feb 18, 2013 at 12:08 am

Further research suggests some remnants of the shop remain. No 10 Gold St was listed in 1952 as an early 19th Century superstructure in stone over a modern shop. The address is now 8-10 Gold St, so further alterations since 1952 have obscured whatever remains of this cinema. A 1972 piece in the Chronicle and Echo refers to a back entrance in College Street, about which only the manager knew. This part was demolished many years ago.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Majestic on Feb 17, 2013 at 4:52 pm

My mother once told me she was taken to this cinema, by her brother, to see a ‘Fu Manchu’ film. She screamed so much at a scene involving a spider taht he never took her to the cinema again!

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Odeon Northampton on Feb 14, 2013 at 10:18 pm

I have my date wrong on this; films ended in 1974.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Forum Cinema on Feb 13, 2013 at 12:16 am

Access is via an entrance off the main shopping mall within the Weston Favell Centre of which, structurally, it is a part.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Cineworld Cinema - Northampton on Feb 13, 2013 at 12:13 am

It also spent a period as part of the Virgin chain, after MGM moved out.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about New Theatre on Feb 11, 2013 at 8:10 pm

The correct address is actually Abington Street. Reginald Foort, the organist, visited here with his travelling Moller organ, which was placed on the stage. Owing to the size of the instrument, it was necessary to excavate the base of the stage door to get it in. Foort was, effectively a local, being born in Daventry.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Just before removal. on Jul 9, 2012 at 10:30 pm

I’m not sure from where I obtained this photocopy of the original image. It may have come from an old copy of the COS Journal; I offer it for interest, without intention to infringe copyright.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Forum Cinema on Jul 9, 2012 at 10:02 pm

I have recently been in contact with the new owners of the Conacher and have been told it is their intention to locate a suitable venue (Not an easy thing to do) and re-install the organ in as close to original condition as possible. Given that I spent a lot of time with it many years ago, i think this is fantastic news and I wish them every success.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Tivoli Cinema on May 7, 2012 at 3:43 pm

It is now a furniture outlet known as ‘SofaKing’, which recently received national press coverage owing to some objections to the advertising phrase, our prices are ‘Sofaking’ cheap. I have no idea what it means!

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Forum Cinema on May 7, 2012 at 1:30 pm

The surround was left in the cinema as the decision was made to restyle the console to match its new surroundings. A mahogany laminated blockboard was used and the original, as I recollect cream and green coloured, was cut up and used in the school woodwork department. On one occasion I discovered the section which covered the relays above the pedalboard, in the woodstore, cut in half, so I cleaned it up and re-united it with the console. When the school bought the organ, for £100, the installation team was allowed a further £100 to complete the job, so it was all done on a shoestring.

The group which went on to buy the Wellingborough Compton for Bilston Town Hall, had hoped to buy the Conacher. I think I am right in saying that the school accepted an offer for £350 from the people who took it to Kent where, it seems, it is in the hands of an organ builder. Having spent a few years caring for this temperamental beast, I hope it remains intact when re-installation eventually occurs. Unfortunately, a number of theatre organs have been shorn of their traps and percussions when ‘taking the cloth’!

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about ABC Wellingborough on May 7, 2012 at 12:59 am

The Compton organ was removed to Wellingborough Technical Grammar School (later Weavers School). It has subsequently, around 2008, been removed to Bilston Town Hall, restored and modified and use for dance music.

PaulB52
PaulB52 commented about Forum Cinema on May 5, 2012 at 1:48 pm

The Conacher organ was sold from the school around 2006 and today seems to be in the hands of a Kent-based organ builder. There is a possibility it may be re-installed in a church, but whether or not it will be complete is unknown.