Capitol Horsham
North Street,
Horsham,
RH12 1RG
North Street,
Horsham,
RH12 1RG
1 person
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Union did indeed build some very impressive cinemas and I would agree that many were more elaborate than some of the purpose built W R Glen ABC’s. However, many of the latter were the equal of the Union houses, for instance Plymouth, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton on the South Coast whilst in Yorkshire the Regals in Halifax and Harrogate were of equal architectural merit to the Ritz, Huddersfield.
Whilst ‘Ritz’ was the favourite name of Union, they were going to replace it with the corporate name, ‘Union’ and this they did in Kingston on Thames which was a Union acquisition. ABC reinstated the original ‘Regal’ name when they took over. ABC also often used the ‘Ritz’ name, for example in Leeds, Bradford, Sunderland, Gateshead and Wallsend.
Union built some gorgeous cinemas all over the U.K., , although the fame was short lived with a takeover in 1937 by ABC, whose cinemas were far less extravagant. ‘Ritz’ was a Union Cinemas trademark.Fortunately Horsham has survived , unlike many of the Ritz cinemas in The North , for example Huddersfield and Warrington and many others
New photo added : Auditorium from the circle showing the proscenium and the Compton organ in front of the original screen tabs
This Ritz had a 2 manual 4 ranks Compton Organ also a Meltone unit. Same as the organ at the Ritz Pencance
Three photos of the Capitol Theatre auditorium:–
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4723546351/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4723546089/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4724197614/
When I was a child in the early sixties, the cinema was called the Ritz, although it was already an ABC cinema. I used to attend the ABC Minors' Matinees on Saturdays with my brother – stalls 6d, circle 1s. The Odeon was a few minutes nearer to the Carfax on the other side of the road.