lost Cinemas

[Redstar]

There must be thousands but one of my favourite cinemas was the Odeon at the Elephant&Castle, I saw so many great films there including, French Connection, The Ipcress File, Puppet on a Chain, Lawrence of Arabia etc. A modern sixties cinema you had a great view wherever seated, lovely architecture inside, the entire walls used to change colour before the main films.

Outrageously demolished by the council and a ghastly development put in its place.



Another very small pleasant cinema was the Odeon at East Dulwich, a cosy place, now turned into a religious centre. Other lost South East London cinemas include the Forest Hill cinema, Peckham Gaumont, Peckham Odeon and the famous Tower cinema. The Regal at Camberwell green used to show nothing but horror movies.

[Cypher]

name='Redstar']There must be thousands but one of my favourite cinemas was the Odeon at the Elephant&Castle, I saw so many great films there including, French Connection, The Ipcress File, Puppet on a Chain, Lawrence of Arabia etc. A modern sixties cinema you had a great view wherever seated, lovely architecture inside, the entire walls used to change colour before the main films.

Outrageously demolished by the council and a ghastly development put in its place.



Another very small pleasant cinema was the Odeon at East Dulwich, a cosy place, now turned into a religious centre. Other lost South East London cinemas include the Forest Hill cinema, Peckham Gaumont, Peckham Odeon and the famous Tower cinema. The Regal at Camberwell green used to show nothing but horror movies.

Amongst lost SE London cinemas does anyone remember the magnificent cinema at Woolwich, an Odeon I think? Or was it Granada? I remember it from my student days almost 50 years ago when I was much impressed my the dramatic interior. I believe it became a supermarket? (Tesco probably!!!)



Chris W

[Windthrop]

Scarborough was lucky - it got Alan Ayckbourn and friends to take its disused Odeon and turn it into a beautiful art deco theatre

[smiffy]

name='Windthrop']Scarborough was lucky - it got Alan Ayckbourn and friends to take its disused Odeon and turn it into a beautiful art deco theatre

What a fantastic building , reminds me a little of the cinema in Harrogate .I still yearn for our local cinema at " Besses o' the barn" whitefield ,where my wife once worked part time in the ticket office and foyer and my kids went to the saturday matinee.It was bought by a local entrepeneur ( A** HOLE ) who first sold furniture in it and then knocked it down and built apartments on the site

[essaljay]

My favourite cinema used to be the "Astoria" in Finsbury Park North London. I used to go there for "Saturday morning pictures" (that dates me). The interior was like a spanish palace with model village scenes up by the ceiling in both corners of the screen. It became the "Rainbow Theatre" where I saw the Beatles and the Stones and I believe it is now or was the headquarters of a religeous society.

[essaljay]

I should correct my last entry. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones played the theatre when it was still a cinema. It became the Rainbow at a later date.

[J. J.]

Originally Posted by Windthrop

Scarborough was lucky - it got Alan Ayckbourn and friends to take its disused Odeon and turn it into a beautiful art deco theatre

That's a gorgeous theatre...



Here's another Art Deco restoration: Classic Cinemas - History

. . .



The 1936 marquee reads: "The Ghost Goes West"

Matinees 15¢ ~ Evenings 25¢







. . .

[Mr Cosmo]

For those of you familiar with Scotland's old cinemas - Scotland's Cinemas and Theatres is worth a look.

[christoph404]

name='Mr Cosmo']For those of you familiar with Scotland's old cinemas - Scotland's Cinemas and Theatres is worth a look.

Thats a really interesting site. My late Grandfather was the chief projectionist at the now demolished Regal Cinema in Stirling. As a teanager he saw the newly built cinema having the projectors delivered and offered to give the chaps installing them a hand to cart the heavy blighters up into the projection booths. He was then offered a job as apprentice that day for his helpfull and enthusiastic gesture! Those were the days! My mother used to work there as an usherette during the school holidays, she has some great stories and photos of all the 30+ uniformed staff.

[Janice Healey]

The cinema in Woolwich was the Granada and its still standing and has been a bingo hall for many years and the Forest Hill was the Capitol now a Weatherspoons pub and the original interior has been restored.

[vaggmk1938]

name='smiffy']What a fantastic building , reminds me a little of the cinema in Harrogate .

Here is one of the Harrogate Odeon, not quite as I remember it in the late 1940s and 1950s, but close enough:

[Mark O]

Another once proud art-deco style Cinema was the Gaumont, in the London Suburb of North Finchley, now sadly demolished due to the Multi-plex down the Road.......

[batman]

In this link the end is near for the old Odeon cinema in Norwich. To the right of the cinema they built the monstrosity that is Anglia Square which included the new Odeon which opened in 1967. The old Odeon was demolished in the 70s.



hmsoldies.co.uk : PG_023 Magdalen Street Development



Bats.

[kelp]

name='essaljay']My favourite cinema used to be the "Astoria" in Finsbury Park North London. I used to go there for "Saturday morning pictures" (that dates me). The interior was like a spanish palace with model village scenes up by the ceiling in both corners of the screen. It became the "Rainbow Theatre" where I saw the Beatles and the Stones and I believe it is now or was the headquarters of a religeous society.

My cousin Reg Whitman was the Manager at the Astoria during the fifties. I would often sit in the Circle and be surrounded by all that beautiful artwork. Reg went on to work for J.Arthur Rank in New York.

[Redstar]

This is a good site for pics ansd descriptions of lost cinemas in South london



The Dark Screens Lost Cinemas Database

[Lord Brett]

name='vaggmk1938']Here is one of the Harrogate Odeon, not quite as I remember it in the late 1940s and 1950s, but close enough:

The car park there is very useful, but I've never actually been inside the cnema!







This is a lovely old art deco cinema building in Roundhay Road, Leeds (not an Odeon, but I can't recall its name) which is now an electrical store. at least the building is still standing.

[smiffy]

name='vaggmk1938']Here is one of the Harrogate Odeon, not quite as I remember it in the late 1940s and 1950s, but close enough:

Thanks vaggmk1938 ,I drove past this cinema now and again until this year, when I left the rat race to work in a much more rewarding environment.

The only thing I miss about my old life is that I saw places and buildings around the country which I wouldn't have seen without covering the miles that I did .

Your photo confirms I wasn't a million miles away with my recollections ,are you originally from Harrogate ?

[smiffy]

name='Lord Brett']The car park there is very useful, but I've never actually been inside the cnema!







This is a lovely old art deco cinema building in Roundhay Road, Leeds (not an Odeon, but I can't recall its name) which is now an electrical store. at least the building is still standing.

Many thanks to you lord Brett ,this is a great thread for me I used to pass this building on my way up to Seacroft ,and Crossgates then Tadcaster and ultimately York, and always pondered that it must have been a Cinema

[Chris B]

Harrogate is identical to the Odeon Sutton Coldfield (West Mids) now the Empire and struggling badly, staff redundancies and cut backs, I think it is just a question of time before the inevitable closure. Incidently the picture you have up loaded is Sutton Coldfield you can see it written on the canopy

Regards Chris b

[smiffy]

name='Chris B']Harrogate is identical to the Odeon Sutton Coldfield (West Mids) now the Empire and struggling badly, staff redundancies and cut backs, I think it is just a question of time before the inevitable closure. Incidently the picture you have up loaded is Sutton Coldfield you can see it written on the canopy

Regards Chris b

This is spooky ,Is the cinema at the forefront of the shopping parade and bus station ,and not far from four oaks and the railway station ?