[scrappy]

went along today with Over for a look at this place, and it was not that easy to get in! but it was a site ive wanted to look at for a while now, i tried contacting the night club a few times but no reply. its not connected to the night club just next to it! here is the pics!

History (from http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6542/):- Provincial Cinematograph Theatres(PCT) opened the New Victoria Theatre in Church Street, Preston on 17th September 1928.

It is a huge structure, PCT bought up an unfinished but largely complete cinema planned to open as the Coliseum and seat 900 and turned this auditorium into the crush hall! They then employed architect W. E. Trent to build a sumptuous cine/theatre behind the existing structure complete with full stage and cafe. There was seating for 1,450 in the stalls and 670 in the single balcony. The New Victoria was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2Manual/9Rank organ that was opened by Leslie J. Rogers.

PCT were taken over by Gaumont and the cinema was re-named in 1952. It closed for sub-division in 1962 and reopened on 28th January 1963 with the circle extended forward to create a new (and much plainer) Odeon with 1,229 seats. The re-opening film was Norman Wisdom in "On the Beat" and was attended by film star Leslie Phillips and comedian Stanley Baxter. Odeon 2 was opened in 1970 using the former cafe space and seating 105. The stalls became a dance hall with a new fully sprung maple floor installed.

The whole complex closed in September 1992 and the upper parts of the building remain unused in 2008. A nightclub operates from the former stalls/dance hall section.

the outside


just inside the main entrence!


the projector room




looking through the projector hatch


old fag packet


seating




stage (no screen)


had to have a people shot!

[scrappy]

had a return visit here and some more pics



off the roof





2nd screen





some old bottles





Over on the roof





some film