Old Sheffield Picture Palaces

[Choirgirl]

Reading Willybite's list of cinema I remembered the one down in Upperthorpe, it was the Roscoe. The Star picture house was on Ecclesall Road. Use to go there on Saturday mornings for the 6d rush. Great fun.

[me-and-pippo]

There was also a picture house in Upperthorpe, can't just remember the name.

The Oxford Picture Palace, Addy Street.

Closed in 1964.

m&p

[carosio]

I believe the earliest cinema (picture house) was the one in Fitzalan Square (became Classic), it had an earth floor and wooden benches. This however was pre-dated by one on Bradfield Road, Hillsboro, located somewhere near the tyre fitting garage, possible that part of building is still there. Perhaps someone could further elucidate?

[howden25]

Just for info. The Forum was normally classed as at Southey Green and was part of the Essoldo group with the Capital at Lane Top and the one at Ecclesfield.

The last time I saw the Forum about 15 years ago, it had been replaced by a supermarket.

Worked there 50/51 in the projection box, anyone remember the horse races on stage?

Edited May 5, 2009 by howden25

[lagerlil]

Does anyone remember the don on west bar? the unity cinema was on langsett road, near wood lane. according to my mum

[carosio]

lagerlil-just read back through threads, you'll find plenty on these cinemas.

[lagerlil]

ok thanks will have a look

[hillsbro]

Does anyone remember the don on west bar? the unity cinema was on langsett road, near wood lane. according to my mum

 

Yes - the Don was on the corner of West Bar and Paradise Street. When it closed it became the HQ of the Bradford Woollen Co. owned by the Swycher family - the firm eventually went bust. The building was extended at the left-hand side and (as "Progress House") it was an E.L.S. Furniture showroom for a while; it is now a branch of Armadillo Self Storage. If you loook at the Paradise Street side of the building you can see the fancy windows and decorative stonework of the old cinema.

 

Your mum is quite right about the Unity - it was next to Wood Street where the Mecca bingo hall car park is now. The odd thing was that you went in at the front and left via a side entrance on Gertrude Street.

 

is still there but looks very different

[babsy]

I believe the earliest cinema (picture house) was the one in Fitzalan Square (became Classic), it had an earth floor and wooden benches. This however was pre-dated by one on Bradfield Road, Hillsboro, located somewhere near the tyre fitting garage, possible that part of building is still there. Perhaps someone could further elucidate?

the one in Ftzalan square was previously called the News Theatre.

[Benbow]

Yep, the News theatre. I was a teenager in the early fifties and occasionally went there. They used to show, besides the news, shorts like The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, cartoons etc. No feature films and short continuous programmes.

Brian