Holywood Cinema

Located in Holywood, County Down. When the Holywood New Cinema opened circa 1934, the Picture House in Shore Road (see separate entry for Maypole Cinema on Cinema Treasures) became colloquially known as the ‘bottom house’. The newcomer was nicknamed ‘top house' even though it was on the corner at the bottom end of the Downshire Road which, incidentally, has a steep incline. Locals referred to the newcomer as the ‘New Cinema’ although the signage on the building (a new build) carried the single word ‘Cinema’.

The New Cinema was registered as a limited company on 11th December 1933 but there’s no sign of an opening date. The Kine Year Book (1935) names Mrs. R. B. Noble as proprietor (seating 500, later reduced to 450). Also listed in that edition was equipment supplied by Western Electric Company and British Thomson-Houston(BTH), screen size 26ft and prices 3d to 1s 3d. The 1940 edition lists it as Holywood Cinema, not New Cinema. It was 1948 before the first entry for the Holywood Cinema Co Ltd, 96 High Street, Holywood appeared in the Belfast & Ulster Street Directory. Included were names of the directors - John Turner, Helen Turner and R. Noble.

As the 1970’s rolled on, the Holywood Cinema was not immune to the decline in cinema attendance across the country. It was therefore no surprise that in 1977 (date of closure?) an application was submitted to change the building’s use to shop, office and showroom. Later occupants included a carpet store, a roller disco and the Deep night club. The building was demolished in 1994. It has been replaced by a retail unit.

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