Plaza Cinema

Opened on 18th August 1913 as a cine-variety theatre, it was known as the Lyceum Theatre and the opening attraction was the silent version of “Quo Vadis”. It was designed by architects H. Walcott Stone and J. Lloyd and had a seating capacity of 678.

It was staging mainly live shows until late-1931 when it was closed and alterations were made by architect F.C. Mitchell to convert the building into a full time cinema. It re-opened on 4th January 1932 and in 1935 it was taken over by County Cinemas chain, who at the time were about to be taken over by Oscar Deutsch’s Odeon Theatres chain. It was re-named Odeon Theatre from 1936. Architect Andrew Mather made further improvements to the Odeon in around 1938.

In December 1967 it was sold to Classic Cinemas Ltd. and was re-named Classic Cinema. In the Spring of 1972 they added a second screen which seated 71. Classic Cinemas were taken over by the Cannon Group in 1986 and it became known as the Cannon Cinema. Closed in October 1990 it lay unused for a while until an independent operator took over the lease in December 1992 and it re-opened as the Plaza Cinema on 11th December 1992.

Sadly this was not to last long, as a new multiplex was being built by Odeon Cinemas across town and this opened on 4th August 1994. The Plaza Cinema closed a few weeks later on 25th August 1994 and was demolished in December 1998. A block of flats named Laverock Court (named after a long standing manager of the Classic/Cannon) was built on the site.

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