Palace Cinema

Capelmawr on November 28, 2009 at 2:56 pm

This venue was built around 1919, just behind the Holly Bush public house and opposite the George Edwards hall (The other cinema in Cefn) on what had been part of the track of the tramway from the Rhosymedre quarries. The building was built largely of corrugated iron, which somewhat belied its comfortable and welcoming interior.Access was gained by a set of steps from Hill Street, which led down to the foyer.

The first owner was Mr. John Owen Jones, who was described as “an energetic, bald-headed man who spent matinees running up and down the central aisle with his flashlight threatening to evict any unruly boys.”

The cinema could seat 700 patrons. Surprisingly the cinema was not mentioned in Kinema Times Yearbook until much later, so we are unaware of opening admission prices. An R.C.A. Photophone sound system was installed to take the cinema into the sound era.

The cinema appears to have survived the war years with Mr. Jones still as owner, but by 1951 Mr. A. Jacobs of Rhyl (Who was also by now the lessee of the George Edwards Hall) had taken over as owner and prices were now 7d to 1/6d, with shows continuously daily from 5.30pm each day.

By 1966 the cinema was in the hands of G.V.H. Cinemas of Ellesmere Port, but Cinemascope had not been installed apparently. How the venue survived so long when all films were released in the large screeen format is not known. 1967 was to be the last season for the cinema, unfortunately, as in August 1967 the cinema was destroyed by fire and subsequently demolished.