Stumbled across this site, but amazed to see the Welfare Hall listed here. I grew up in the Gendros area and spent many an hour in this Cinema. I remember Mr Dwyer as Manager and also Mrs Alice Gamage who worked there in the box office. Mrs Gamage lived near us, and asked me if I could help out for a fortnight when I was in my teens. As a temporary usherette I was issued with a torch, for showing people to empty seats, and a ‘spike’ with a string attached to it for collecting the ripped halves of tickets! On the back wall at the rear of the stalls, was a single pull-down seat where I could sit during the performance.
My first ever date was at ‘The Welfare’ sitting in the double seats you mentioned. I remember it being a double bill of James Bond. It was Dr No and Thunderball. All the ‘big’ films came to ‘The Welfare’ after Swansea, and the seat prices were cheaper too!
Stumbled across this site, but amazed to see the Welfare Hall listed here. I grew up in the Gendros area and spent many an hour in this Cinema. I remember Mr Dwyer as Manager and also Mrs Alice Gamage who worked there in the box office. Mrs Gamage lived near us, and asked me if I could help out for a fortnight when I was in my teens. As a temporary usherette I was issued with a torch, for showing people to empty seats, and a ‘spike’ with a string attached to it for collecting the ripped halves of tickets! On the back wall at the rear of the stalls, was a single pull-down seat where I could sit during the performance.
My first ever date was at ‘The Welfare’ sitting in the double seats you mentioned. I remember it being a double bill of James Bond. It was Dr No and Thunderball. All the ‘big’ films came to ‘The Welfare’ after Swansea, and the seat prices were cheaper too!