Maindee Cinema
158 Chepstow Road,
Newport,
NP19 8EG
158 Chepstow Road,
Newport,
NP19 8EG
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The Maindee Cinema in Newport, South Wales opened in 1939 with “If I Were King” starring Ronald Coleman. Seating was provided in stalls and circle levels. Western Electric was the sound system installed.
The Maindee Cinema remained showing films for 23 years until closing in September 1961 with the Bob Hope, Jane Russell movie “The Paleface”.
The Maindee Cinema was turned over to a Coral Bingo Club and finally closed in 1994. Ironically bingo lasted longer then it was a cinema.
The cinema remained closed for a number of years before being bought by the JD Wetherspoon pub group and is now one of the three Wetherspoon pubs in the city, but the only one in a former cinema.
Contributed by
Peter 123
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Well near the end of sept I will be putting up a website featuring this building. I an a regular in the pub and know the old “Rewind Boy”. So we are going to make him a presentation, soon. After that the pics will be posted.
As to exterior, we were more interested in the interior ones, but I go there fairly often, will take some!
Some photos from 1989 of the Maindee as a bingo hall:–
Exterior:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/1151541742/
Stairs:-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/1151541166/
Auditorium:-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/1151540406/
Wow, thanks! The rest of my stuff for now is at http://tux.isa-geek.org
You don’t know what month or even day, it opened as a cinema do you? 1939, but wot month.
I don’t fancy going through a year of micro film!
Well that may help, as I’d guessthey’d run a “new” film, so we’re looking at feb/march. Will try to hit the micro film later this week.
The siting of the projection box and the ceiling panels are similar to the Olympia, Cardiff, as rebuilt a couple of years earlier. Are the architects and builders of the Maindee listed anywhere?
My friends this afternoon, sugested do a search for (forgive spelling) Art Deco cinemas buildings,in the uk, you get the idea. Apprently we’ll get a lot of railway stations, in London and the South coast. When I do said search, will post in here.
If anyone else does it b4 me, please post any intresting findings here please.
A few more images of the Maindee, particularly showing the cut-away balcony (unusual, but by no means unique in the UK). All date from 1989:–
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5056768150/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5056767980/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5056153089/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5056152911/
Thanks again for thoughs. I can now take some aproximate ones , now to compaire them. whilst do some research on this last night, tripped over this fab site.
on one of the lnks pic in the lest sqr odeon, box, with thire follow spot, safty curton everything. Didn’t go to bed till 6!!
http://www.cinematopia.co.uk/bibliography.html
Interior taken Oct 1984
Two exteriors of the Maindee as the Godrey Morgan pub – the Auditorium block shows the windows punched through the side wall of the rear stalls, which gives some idea of how the pub is laid out under the balcony.
FACADE
AUDITORIUM BLOCK