Screen Cinema

dave on June 2, 2019 at 12:12 pm

From Long Eaton & Sawley Archive: The New Palace opened on July 3rd 1913 and soon became known as the little theatre with the big reputation. With around 830 seats it wasn’t the largest theatre, but its Market Place position made it a prominent venue at the time and in 1919 seat prices rose front seats 4d, other seats were 6d and 7d. The circle was 1- and if booked beforehand, 13d.

In 1922 the Palace had a Grand Orchestral Pipe Organ installed, and continued bookings of silent films even after Talkies arrived in Britain around 1929. The last silent to be shown was on April 11th 1931. The Palace was then fitted out with the Western Electric Sound System and was refurbished, re-opening on Monday 4th May. In 1936 the Palace underwent complete modernisation, being extended by 30 feet at the rear, and re-opening on Monday 19th October 1936. With the arrival of television in the 1950s, cinema gradually became less popular. A Panoramic screen was fitted in the late 1950s, bringing fresh interest to cinemagoers.

Star Cinemas, based in Leeds, took over the Palace in 1965 and once again the building was completely modernised and re-opened on March 22nd as the Ritz. Star Cinemas continued to run the Ritz until 1977 when Mr. Andrew Boulton took over. By now, it was the only remaining cinema in Long Eaton. It was closed again in 1983, and the building was converted into a smaller cinema with 270 seats and a slightly smaller screen. A new Dolby sound system was installed and the cinema was renamed as The Screen. After a short delay, it opened on Thursday September 15th 1983. The Screen ran until the mid 1990s, but the arrival of the new multiscreen cinemas in Nottingham and Derby finally sounded the death knell of cinema in Long Eaton.

Ian on February 5, 2012 at 2:21 pm

A photo of the Palace after The Litten Tree had closed here:– http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4473153208/lightbox/