Palace Cinema

Located in Fencehouses, County Durham. Designed by F.J. Cocking of Gateshead for the Fence Houses Palace Ltd., the cinema opened on the 21st December 1911 as a cine-variety house. There were 500 seats in the stalls and 100 seats in the balcony. Unusually for this time, all were tipping seats, no benches! Unfortunately, the first films shown have not been possible to ascertain as yet.

On the 29th November 1912 a new Managing Director was appointed, Mr. George Lax Collins Jr. of Birtley. The company had been renamed Fence Houses Picture Palace Ltd., with the Grand in Ryhope and the Tivoli in New Herrington also being operated by he same company.

In 1931 the cinemas came under the control of the North-Eastern Kinema De Luxe Ltd. circuit, the films being booked by them at the Carlton, Tynemouth. Sound had arrived, with a BTH sound system installed. The Kine Year Book in 1944 also quotes seating had reduced to 530, the proscenium width being given is 21ft.

The cinema carried on until 1962. Bingo replaced films from 12th July 1962, but this had ceased by the early 1980’s, the building then being used for storage.

Sadly, demolition came and the site is now housing.

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