Ritz Cinema

Darron on May 9, 2025 at 12:56 pm

The Tors Spring factory moved to a new site in 1999 off of The Common in the former Ritz Cinema, which has now been turned into a house.

The Derbyshire Times ran an article on the 1st November, 1924 advising that Crich was to have it’s own cinema. It was opened by John Heath and John Marsden Heath (father and son partnership) as the Crich Cinema Co. at a cost of £1100. Searing approximately 300, it had no balcony. Sound was added in January 1930, the first sound film shown was ‘Noah’s Ark’ commencing on the Monday, 13th January 1930. Prices rose on that date too, they had fitted ‘Sound Apparatus’

John Heath also rented the Public Hall in Belper at £250 per year and operated this hall as well as the Picture House as it was called in Crich.

Sadly, all of this came to an end when both were declared bankrupt, appearing before the bench to explain themselves with an article published again in the Derbyshire Times on the 27th September, 1930.

Mr G.A. Broad then took over, having been an employee for the Heaths. He came to a sad demise barely six months during a power cut. He and a representative from the electricity company were trying to locate the fault when Mr. Broad fell from a ladder against a lamp column. He died of his injuries the same day.

Managed by Mrs. M.O. Broad (his widow) until 1941 when Mr. F.R. Gill took over.