Gaiety Cinema
337 Wells Road,
Bristol,
BS4 2QN
337 Wells Road,
Bristol,
BS4 2QN
1 person
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The Gaiety Cinema was located at the intersection of Crossways Road and Wells Road in the Upper Knowle district of Bristol. It opened on 26th December 1933 with Jessie Matthews in “The Good Companions”. Designed by architect R.J. Hurford, seating was provided for 800 in stalls and circle levels. A feature of the decoration in the auditorium was a series of fine wall paintings depicting the landing of King Charles I in Morocco. The paintings were by the well known cinema artist George Legg.
The cinema had a dance hall on the first floor which could hold 125 persons and there was a free car park at the rear.
In 1992, a second screen seating 75 was opened in the former dance hall area and in the summer of 1993 a third screen seating 85 was opened in another part of the building.
The Gaiety Cinema closed on 30th April 1995 screening the films “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Pulp Fiction” to a total audience of 10 persons! It had operated throughout its entire life as an independent cinema, but eventually modern multiplexes had taken their toll. The building was demolished in 2000 and in 2003, it was replaced by sheltered housing.
Contributed by
Lost Memory, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
used to be a projectionist here during the 70s the unique feature was the projection box was halfway up to the circle so the projector throw was beamed through the actual bolcony.
In Birmingham there where 8 such cinemas that used this system of Projection. We at the Capitol Birmingham re did the Projection Box in 1929 placing it onto the roof..