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Report - - The Astoria Theatre (aka Coral Bingo) - Brighton - 11/4/09 | Theatres and Cinemas | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - The Astoria Theatre (aka Coral Bingo) - Brighton - 11/4/09

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This has been recently covered by the Brighton crew so i payed a quick visit on my way passed today. I didnt relise at the time but i managed to switch on a totlay differant set of lights than the other guys which lit up pretty much the whole place so i hope these photos are a bit different. Enjoyed this one alot, not as modern as i suspected and for the most part very good condition.

Heres a bit of history

A construction for a local consortium, the Astoria opened with 'The Private Life of Henry VIII'.

It had full stage facilities and a spectacular Art Deco interior decoration scheme. An illuminated Compton 3 manual organ was installed.

The stage was infrequently used for live shows up until 1958 when the theater closed for renovations which installed a vast 70mm screen in front of the old proscenium, removed the organ, and curtained the impressive auditorium.

The balcony steppings were altered and a new projection suite constructed at (and into) the rear balcony.

Long runs of such films as 'Earthquake' ensued and the cinema continued successfully until just after the other ABC house in town was quadrupled in 1976. The Astoria closed the following year and became a bingo casino.

This lasted until approximately 1996 after which the Astoria has stood empty and unused.

It has recently been bought for around 1 million pounds and is due to be restored (not known if to original design) and reopened as a live (mainly concert) venue.

The Astoria is a Grade II Listed building.

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This projector room was a later addition , they had removed the back two rows of the circle to fit it in. The orignal projector room was on the roof i think but most of the doors were locked solid and it was a pigeon orgy. They probably havnt been used since atleast the 70s! Maybe the orignal projectors are in there??
 
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