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The HISTORY of REDDITCH New Town

Redditch Cinemas - The Gaumont Cinema

On the site of the old public hall, the Gaumont Palace rose, and
was opened on Monday 23rd November 1931. The actual building
had taken only seven months to complete with some adjoining
properties being incorporated in this 1,400 seat theatre. The
interior had been fitted with much decorative plaster work,
coloured in orange and gold, on a background of rich ivory. Thus,
the fully air conditioned and heated, modern equipped building
was the first of Redditch's super cinemas to be opened.

Throughout the remainder of the 1930s and 40s patrons paid
between 3d and 1/2d, for a seat in this magnificent hall, which
must have brightened many an hour, during those stressful days
of the depression and then the war.

In 1937 the name became plain Gaumont and the sign directly
above the main entrance doors was removed. When restrictions
on outdoor lighting were lifted on 1st April 1949, a vertical neon
lit Gaumont sign was was erected.

On Monday March 7th 1954, it re-opened with a new, large wide
screen, new decoration and rebuilt seats designed to compete
with the new wonder - television. Later that year on Monday 15th
November, came Cinemascope, bringing a wider screen still, which
had involved the fitting of new main festoon curtains, only the
second of their type in Worcestershire.
By 1960, both Odeon and Gaumont Cinemas were part of the
Rank Organisation chain but in the big Rank sale to Classic
cinemas in 1967 the Redditch cinema was sold again and the sign
above the entrance was soon changed to Classic.
On Sunday 14th July 1968 after just six months as a Classic
Cinema it closed, It was reopened as the Vogue Bingo and Social
Club, on Thursday I8th July 1968, just three days being allowed
for removal of the screen and the adaption to a bingo hall.

Similarly this property
in Church Road has
undergone many name
changes but is still
recognisable today.

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