Conway Cinema

The Conway cinema building began life in 1880 as a ladies' swimming pool (the gents' pool was next door, in what was to become the Celtic Cinema - see separate Cinema Treasures entry). At this time the road was called Newfoundland Street, as the buildings were constructed on ‘newly-found’ land. However, the baths became so important that the road was renamed Bath Street. Mixed bathing was allowed after the First World War, when the gents' pool was closed and converted into the Imperial Cinema (later the Celtic). After the Second World War the surviving pool was covered over and the building was converted into the Little Theatre, and became home to the Regency Players. Then, in 1962, David Davies converted it into the Conway Cinema. That closed on or around 28th May 1976, so it didn’t run for very long as a ‘second screen’ to the Commodore.