The cinema experience in Bristol has changed over the years, both on the screen and off it. Dotted around the city you can find buildings which once served as picture houses in the early 1900s. Bristol World has pulled together eight historic images showcasing where residents would go for an evening of film or theatre back in the day, using Bristol City Council’s Know Your Place map.
Here are the cinemas we found:
5. Staple Hill Picture House
Staple Hill Picture House was built in 1912 and was originally flanked on one side by a domed entrance. The dome was removed in 1927 when the building was renamed as the Regal. It received a facelift and a cafe was added to the ground floor. In 1963, the cinema was closed and converted to a bingo hall before that made way for a church in 1992.
6. Hippodrome, Bedminster
Hippodrome, on East Street, was a four-storey theatre built in 1911 to seat 3000 spectators. It became the Stoll Picture Theatre cinema which operated until 1940 before the building was damaged by bombing. The remaining structure was demolished in 1954 and redeveloped.
7. Ashton Cinema, Bedminster
The independently run, Ashton Cinema, on North Street, opened in 1914. It would be renamed the Plaza in the mid-1940s before closing in 1958. The building was converted into a supermarket in 1964 before eventually being used as an estate agent and apartments today.
8. Queens Hall cinema
The Queens Hall was Bristol’s first purpose-built cinema when it opened on March 24, 1910. It was also the city’s only building to offer a retractable roof for ventilation. It was demolished in 1933 to make way for the News Theatre which stood until 1959. The original site still lies within Castle Park.