ABC Southport
98 Lord Street,
Southport,
PR8 1JR
98 Lord Street,
Southport,
PR8 1JR
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Essoldo took over the Palace in August 1960, but didn’t rename it until 1971 (when they still put Palace in brackets after Essoldo). When Classic took over they referred to it as the Classic Palace until it began operating as a twin, which was Thursday May 9th 1974 with A Touch of Class in Classic 1 and The Big Boss in Classic 2. It does indeed seem that the conversion was carried out without closing, with advertising in the preceding weeks apologising for any inconvenience during structural alterations!
Only just come across this website :) I loved the saturday morning pictures. The ABC was my favourite but we did go to the Odeon now and again. My mum used to give me 1/6d – 6d for the bus to and from town, 6d admission and 6d for sweets. That seemed a lot of money back the, think what you could get for that nowadays ha! .. Went to see Mary Poppins at the Grand there were so many people queuing when we got to the doors we got turned away as it was full, was so upset .. went back the next day and managed to get in I loved that film so much including Dick Van Dykes dodgy cockney accent ha ha!
SouthportMike, your link shows my 1980s photo of the Regal/ABC, posted before I learned to “watermark” my photos. Incidently, the multiplex wasn’t called NBC, but something similar – it’s now Vue.
Here is the Regal/ABC: https://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/4842132824/in/photolist-23CJPx-dRZPCS-23HaqW-23CKu2-23Hb6J-23Hbef-23Ha7w-23CKYp-23H9WL-4HSgG1-4zHWwm-4HSgTW-4zDEFR-8nTcoG-4iUWDY-4iUWBN-4iQSRr-3L5zsU-4iQSGx-bUBWq9
In its final days the Palace was indeed called ABC, as closed as such. There is a funny photo with a banner on the front of the building, reading: “For the last frickin' time, we are not the NBC”, which was the original name of the multiplex, which killed off the Palace/ABC. The heading is misleading, but perhaps it’s the policy of Cinema Treasures to list the final name.
http://www.southportchat.com/viewtopic.php?t=6557
See link for original ABC/Regal Cinema across from the old bus station. ABC may have owned the Classic/Palace also but if you are an original Sandgrounder the ABC was across from the Bus Station and the Classic/Palace was at the bandstand on Eastbank St
Further to my comment above, and reading the narrative above, it perhaps is your heading that is simply incorrect. Picture Palace and Classic maybe, but it is not the ABC. I was disappointed because I was searching for pictures of the ABC and your link came up. Please therefore change the heading, which is misleading. Thanks
The picture above is of the Classic Cinema, which is now the Vincent Hotel. It is NOT the ABC Cinema. The ABC was further down near the beginning of Lord Street, whereas the Classic was outside the bandstand, at the junction of Eastbank Street. Please correct this error and remove the photo. If you have a true picture of the ABC then use it, but this is the wrong picture and is a completely different building! I have lived in Southport my entire life and visited both cinemas many times. I know exactly that this is incorrect.
I am amazed at looking at the theatres over in England,they are just so classy looking.Shame to tear it down.Thanks Ian and Ken.And Philip.
Under demolition – 2006:
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A later photo as the Cannon, dating from 1995 here:–
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/3744907149/
A photo of the ABC as the Classic in around 1980 here:–
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