Stafford Cinema
3 Newport Road,
Stafford,
ST16 2HH
3 Newport Road,
Stafford,
ST16 2HH
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4th November: ‘It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce that we will not be able to reopen Stafford Cinema. We have done our level best, we have carried out many works to rejuvenate the building and update the facilities, but unfortunately after being turned down for a BFI grant 3 times, the closure during covid and now there are many other issues with the building itself which makes it impossible to keep throwing money at it. We thank you for the time we were open for supporting us. Hopefully this won’t completely be the end for the story of Stafford Cinema, but certainly for now the doors have to close.’
Good News after long and extensive talks with the property owners, an agreement has been reached to prchase the complete freehold of this cinema site and it will remain in the same capable hands of sam Lavington and remain as a Cinema, also there is discussions to open a “Movie Shop” in one of the retail units attached to the cinema. The new number for the cinema is 07708192652 new photos will be added soon.
Up for auction on 12th February, with pre-application advice received by the council for a multi-storey mixed-use conversion comprising ground floor retail and residential above. Is this cinema of sufficient originality to be put forward for listing? https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/weve-put-lot-work-place-3799413
im hoping to reopen this cinema lat this year, providing heating can be sorted out at reasonable expense, Cinema heritage trust
Closed on 28th February 2019. The future looks very uncertain again for this lovely Art Deco cinema :–(
AJH Cinema Limited took on the historic venue after it closed at the end of 2017. Trevor Harris, whose son Anthony ran the cinema, said: “We were in discussions with the landlord for weeks but at the end of the day the facts and figures just didn’t add up. There was no way we could keep going, we just couldn’t sustain the losses anymore."
“We lowered the price of tickets to £5 and people still didn’t come. Films we were relying on in January went right down the pan, the cinema figures all over the UK are diabolical and the heating system in the old building hasn’t helped.
“We’d like to thank all our customers and those that supported us though and wish the landlord well. It was one of the original Odeon’s built and we hope to see the building back in use as a cinema again soon.”
The Cinema was not built for Odeon…This was one of 7 cinemas built for the Clifton Syndicate. Sidney Clift’s business partner Leon Salberg thoughtlessly went and died. Oscar Deutch who was a close friend was appointed as Chair by Clift. J Arthur Rank launched a Rights Share issue November 1947 to purchase the oddities of the Circuit Hmm over 300 companies each Odeon was a separate company. A cleaver system devised by Sidney Clift to finance them.
The Cinema has now reopened
I’m sorry to report the cinema has now closed. It has been placed on the market for £750k. The future doesn’t look good.
The conversion into a Triple was designed and carried out by Modernisation Ltd., The Freeze – Greene company.
I totally agree with Chris regarding Ray Faulkner. His knowledge of projection was second to none and a really nice person.His help in my early years as a projectionist at the Apollo was invaluable. Much missed.
Curzon Cinemas have taken on full operational management and programming of the Apollo Stafford cinema from the previous owners, Vue Cinemas.
They plan to refurbish the cinema over the coming months
http://www.thestaffordcinema.com/
The late Ray Faulkner ‘Mr Odeon’ was a trainee projectionist in 1944 working his way to Chief Projectionist where he spent the next 37 years at this unique Cinema.For the last seven he moved up the road to The Picture House. Ray was everything which this industry has lost,a total and absolute Professional and to see him work in the'box'was a fascinating experience. Brother Eric and Son Ray also lent a hand and Mary was one of the usherettes a position Ray always politely referred to as a pusher. His wicked sense of humour and acerbic wit made Ray one of the nicest persons you could wish to meet and I’m proud to have known and gained so much knowledge from him over the years. You are not forgotton Ray. CHRISINGRAM
A June 2008 of the Apollo Cinemas:–
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A fish & chip shop was allowed to open in one of the retail units. Normally this use for not allowed as the smell of cooking managed to get into the cinema. However, here at Stafford, I believe one of the businesses demolished when the theatre was built, was a fish & chip shop, and the proviso for demolition rested on a ‘new home’ when the Odeon was built.
exterior shot taken 1991
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2121470428/
1986 view here – note where the ODEON letters have been removed from the facade:–
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Doolally; That is correct. The plot of land was small and was restricted by other adjacent buildings who’s owners were not willing to sell, and be demolished to build a new cinema.
The projection booth was located on the rear stalls level, as this allowed for a maximum seating capacity. The circle seating went to the rear internal wall, which externally is the front wall of the cinema where the large Odeon sign is located on the vintage photographs I posted above.
Is this the Cinema that Oscar Deutsch referred to as ‘our Drawing Room Cinema’, due to it’s size?
Three vintage exterior views of the Odeon:
In October 1949, playing the Odeon release:
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In April 1952, playing the Odeon release:
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In 1969, playing a ‘popular’ release:
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