Darnall Picture Palace

Ian – one would never have guessed that such a richly detailed ceiling could be found inside an externally-looking drab, small, back-street cinema. Even more amazing is that it survived all those years when it was a laundry and dry-cleaners. Worthy of listing, I reckon.

The name of the stretch of road down the side of the cinema has changed at some time: from Balfour Road to Shirland Lane. The lane originally joined the road in a T-junction at the rear of the cinema. Balfour Road is now blocked at that point and Shirland has a sharp bend and runs down to Staniforth Road. The change must have been in recent decades.

Down the side of the cinema, Shirland Lane (formerly Balfour Road), there is an impressive mini-façade, at the end of the auditorium side wall, with a blanked-off rounded arch entrance. Presumably this was a separate entrance for patrons of cheaper seats nearer the screen.