Showcase Cinemas Foresters Park, Derby
Osmaston Park Road,
Derby,
DE23 8AG
Osmaston Park Road,
Derby,
DE23 8AG
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Showcase Cinemas
Firms: Abbey Hanson Rowe
Previous Names: Showplace Cinemas 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11
Nearby Theaters
Built on part of the site of the old Sherwood Forester Regimental Barracks on Foresters Way, close to Sinfin Lane. The Showcase Cinemas opened on 17th November 1988, just two weeks before Derby’s 2nd multiplex; the AMC (later UCI and now Odeon Luxe Derby) had opened. This gave the city of Derby the distinction of being the first city in the UK to have two multiplex cinemas operating.
It was closed in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It later re-opened but closed permanently in January 2021. In June 2021 it was announced that the building would be demolished and a car dealership will be built on the site.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
Ken Roe,Here is a story for you from Boxoffice March 1993. On the roof of the Showcase Cinemas Derby, 500 ballons were released in the air.Some had free movie passes in them. Nearly Five weeks later the final ticket bearing balloon landed in BAD WURZACH,GERMANY.Some 600 miles from Derby.The tickets were sent back and donated them to a local children’s Hospital.The movie they were promoting? “HOME ALONE 2,LOST IN NEW YORK”.Can’t make this up!
Typical USA Showcase cinema design of its time, facing the highway with the parking in the back.
All branding has been removed and the cinema has closed and will not reopen, Report in the Derby Evening Telegraph.
Grand opening ad from November 17th, 1988 in the photo section. Typical American design.
Closed for good in January 2021 per https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/derbys-showcase-cinema-closed-down-4876431
Recent report in The Derby Evening Telegraph. Building set to be demolished and replaced with a car dealership and associated facilities
Also, this is the first multiplex in Derby with the AMC Meteor Centre 10 opening on December 2nd, 1988. It has the same design as the Commack Multiplex in Suburban New York City.
That the design of these original generation Showcase Cinemas in the UK came over from the US apparently even extended to, in at least one location, having the surface car park’s kerbs painted rather than double yellow lines on the adjacent road surface, as used in the UK to indicate “no parking.” Quite strange.
I always rather liked the external design of these multiplexes, even if not the highest quality finish (c.f. cladding, powder coated metal, etc.) Alas, what was once the clean and modern face of the future of movie exhibition has not always survived exposure to the elements so well, at least being in need of a coat or two of paint.
28 Days Later report.
The above reveals that it still had a “first generation” multiplex interior that gave such venues a bad name–-now thoroughly obsolete. It seems hardly necessary to go through all that’s wrong with it; but of particular note is that carpet design–-what on Earth anyone was thinking when it was specified will likely ever remain a mystery…
Absorption/insulation behind the pleated (“Soundfold”-type) auditoria sidewall panels is visible where they are coming off in a couple of places.
One Christie film projector can be seen. 2D/3D lens changeover instructions reference Sony SRX-R320 S-XRD projection.
rivest266: Not sure about this being the “same” design as the Commack Multiplex; “historic” aerial views show a completely differently shaped building. The main frontages aren’t the same, either.
I notice that the Commack Multiplex site is now home to a Lowe’s Home Improvement store, which I suppose is (very tenuously) ironic…!