Palladium Cinema

William Mewes on July 25, 2011 at 10:32 am

Some recent interior photos can be found here on another forum.

Click Here

terry on August 8, 2015 at 10:43 am

I understand that this building is soon to be demolished to make way for student accommodation for Durham University. 600 seats have been donated to Beamish Open Air Museum for installation in the Grand Cinema Ryhope which is to be transplanted there :–

http://www.beamish.org.uk/cinema-to-be-moved-to-beamish-museum-for-1950s-town/

I believe that the lovely stained glass arched window within the deceptively small Front Of House of the Palladium (typical of many cinemas of the period which had small entrances leading to capacious auditioria) is to be restored and retained together with the rest of the facade.

In the 1960’s, after a very expensive modernisation, the stained glass window was the main feature of a large luxurious cocktail bar; it was adorned by blue velvet curtains matching the Royal Blue Axminster laid throughout the building.

Business dwindled at the Palladium following the rerouting of traffic in the late 1960’s (Claypath had been an important thoroughfare prior to this) leaving most business to the Essoldo, North Road, which, whilst very little was spent on it for years, latterly enjoyed a better location and Booking Policy.

terry on February 12, 2016 at 5:17 pm

Various photos uploaded mostly of the derelict interior.

In 1967 the Palladium was modernised and a luxury licensed bar was opened in a disused area above the entrance lobby adjacent to the circle foyer.

It was the second cinema in the North East to receive the wall to wall drape treatment, the first being the Queens Newcastle which, I am fairly sure, was the influence here.

Most of the drapery , as can be seen in the photos, has now fallen away from its track revealing what remains of the original elaborate decor, mostly chiseled away before the drapes were hung.

Below is a link to a site about the circuit of which the Palladium was part; its title rather unflatteringly alludes to the nickname of Thomas Thompson’s first ever cinema, the Cleveland Hall, Middlesbrough :–

http://www.bugandflea.com/

terry on August 30, 2016 at 9:26 am

Two photos uploaded of the place in its pre – modernisation form. The one taken from the circle in 1954 shows the screen set well back from the proscenium. The house tabs, sadly, are drawn back and not visible here but they were the heavy theatrical style with appliqued stripes and looked rather splendid illuminated by the footlights.

I understood that the facade was to be incorporated within the new development (Student Accommodation) and it is a shame that this will not now materialise as the arched stained glass window used to look rather spectacular when illuminated and flanked by the two ‘Palladium’ fin signs at night time.

terry on November 12, 2019 at 4:01 pm

1950’s shot uploaded of the then busy thoroughfare, Claypath showing the Palladium’s small and neat (but attractive) front of house on the right.