Beacon Cinema

Birmingham Road and Queslett Road,
Birmingham, B43 6NN

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Clifton Circuit

Architects: Ernest S. Roberts, Roland Satchwell

Firms: Satchwell & Roberts

Styles: Art Deco

Nearby Theaters

Beacon Cinema

Located on the corner of Birmingham Road and Queslett Road, in the north Birmingham suburb of Great Barr. The Beacon Cinema was built and operated by the Clifton Cinemas chain, and opened on 7th March 1938 with Will Hay in "Oh! Mister Porter". The opening was attended ‘in person’ by two of the film stars of the opening feature film:Graham Moffatt & Moore Marriott. The Beacon Cinema opened just two weeks after the company’s nearby Clifton Cinema, located on Walsall Road.

The Beacon Cinema was very similar to the style of Odeon cinemas which were being built at that time. It was built in brick, and had a striking corner entrance, with a sweeping curve on the canopy, and a square tower, which originally had an Art Deco style clock. Seating was provided in stalls and circle levels, and the proscenium was 40 feet wide.

The Beacon Cinema was closed on 16th December 1972 with "The Nympho" and "Erotic Three". The building then stood empty and unused for the following 10 years. It was demolished in 1982, and an office block named Beacon Court was built on the site.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on April 12, 2011 at 9:27 am

There is a picture from 1938 of the Beacon Cinema and one of the site today here: http://www.b43.co.uk/static/beacon.html.

petehall
petehall on January 21, 2013 at 3:12 am

hi i was a projectionist there around 1971 with john freeman …hope i can get some info of anyone who was around abt this time thank you

kelp
kelp on December 3, 2017 at 7:53 am

I lived in Calshot Road, near the Beacon, and the cashier was a Mrs. Peverill. My Auntie was also there as an usherette. Violet Hinton. Gerry.

rivest266
rivest266 on July 16, 2022 at 10:18 am

Grand opening ad posted.

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