Western Talkie Theatre

Branch Road,
Leeds, LS12 3AQ

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Additional Info

Functions: Restaurant, Supermarket

Previous Names: Pictureland, Armley Picture Hall, Western Talkie Cinema

Nearby Theaters

The Western Talkie Theatre in July 2004

A former Primitive Methodist Chapel, converted for cinema use in 1910. Opened 25th April 1910 owned by American Bioscope Co. Ltd. Ownership passed to Tommy Thompson and Charles Metcalfe in July 1910.

The name changed to Western Talkie Cinema on 9th November 1933.

It was closed from 26th May 1956 to 21st October 1957, when it reopened. It closed and went over to bingo on 30th December 1960.

The above information is from “Leeds Cinemas Remembered” by Robert E. Preedy.

Kinematograph Year Book for 1914 has no Pictureland in Leeds. There is an Armley Picture Hall on Branch Road, with 600 seats; owned by Thompson & Metcalf.

KYB 1931 has no mention of this cinema under any name. KYB 1942 and 1947 have it as the Western Talkie Theatre (Western Electric sound) with 450 seats and a 24ft proscenium. In KYB 1954 seating has reduced to 427 (for CinemaScope, perhaps?).

On Google Streetview (2014) the building is still standing and sports signs for the Pleasuredrome Amusement Centre (“Launderette, Café, Airconditioned”) and the Noocafe. By 2019 it was in use as a supermarket and Baltic Restaurant.

Contributed by H J Hill

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

HJHill
HJHill on March 29, 2014 at 10:22 am

“Leeds Cinemas Remembered” by Robert E. Preedy lists this cinema as opening under the name of ‘Pictureland’.

As KYB 1914 lists it as ‘Armley Picture Hall’, could it be that ‘Pictureland’ was the operating name whilst owned by American Bioscope Co Ltd from April to July 1910?

Biffaskin
Biffaskin on December 10, 2021 at 5:50 am

Last operated by the Shann family, according to the website memorylane.co.uk which has a great selection of internal pictures of the family at work during its final year of operation as a cinema.

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