Home ABC Cinema

Not a public cinema, but this deserves a mention. Stoke-on-Trent bus driver Anderson Jones has a huge passion on movie theaters ever since Jones was a little boy and began collecting everything theater-related at the age of 6 beginning in 1984. The legendary little building measuring 40 feet long, 22 feet wide, and 20 feet high, became a worldwide icon following the launch of Jones' customized 34-seat single-screener that was dedicated to the Associated British Cinemas (ABC) chain, and all golden-aged movie theaters around England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. It is one truly nostalgic and heartwarming place filled with magic and love, sharing great memories, and experiencing blast-to-the-past moments of joy and happiness.

Construction of this masterpiece took almost five years in his backyard garden and cost a grand total of £70,000 to build, or $81,400 in American USD, between July 2012 and January 2017. Jones' creation was inspired by his pass experiences to now-defunct movie theaters across his home area and elsewhere, more important the ABC Hanley, where he watched the most growing up and saved almost the entirety of that theater’s authentic memorabilia and equipment before its demolition in February 2008.

Inside, most of the ABC memorabilia came from his childhood house in Hanley, but there’s other materials that came from other locations, such as the Odeon Dorchester and the Odeon Hanley, and several other ABCs. The ticket booth came from Liverpool (with the ticket dispenser from Hanley), and the Cinemeccanica Victoria 4 projector came from the Odeon Birmingham. The screen measures 17ft-by-7ft and features working curtains that inspires what old cinemas used to do when the movie starts or comes to an end. Following the theater’s opening, his theater became viral around the world, including televised interviews with Sky News and the Midlands feed of BBC One, appearing in an episode of the BBC One television series “Bargain Hunt”, and several radio interviews from BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 5, and BBC Radio Stoke.

Although it was a tradition for family and friends, it was also a treat for members of the Cinema Theatre Association (CTA) for charity events. The legendary little theater itself also earned Anderson a nomination in the ‘Shed of the Year’ awards, a fitting tribute to his remarkable achievement. Because of the theater being a personal DIY project built in a garden, the exact address is not given, and will not be given because that remains a forever secret to respect the family’s privacy.

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.