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Report - - Kings Heath Cinema, Birmingham - July/August 2010 | Theatres and Cinemas | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Kings Heath Cinema, Birmingham - July/August 2010

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Adders

living in a cold world
Regular User
After returning from Mexico I was confronted with numerous reports of this cinema, and certainly had to take a look seeing as it's only down the road. These photos are from a couple of visits. First with God, second with The Engineer and Diehardlove.

The Kingsway Cinema opened on 2nd March 1925, with the first film screening being "Down to the Sea in Ships". 55 years, 2 months and 1 day later the cinema shut its' doors on 3rd May 1980 with "The Bermuda Triangle" being the last film to be aired. 2 years later the building was reopened as a Gala bingo, complete with horrible colours, tacky plastic tables and the most recognisable style of repulsive carpeting. Respect where due though, the owners didn't cover up the grand ceiling like many other converted cinemas you see on here.

The Art-deco/neo-classical cinema building was designed by local architect Horace G Bradley who was also responsible for the Harborne Royalty cinema not too far away. 1362 seats wer provided in stalls and circle, and the upper ceiling was crafted into a grand dome, which will hopefully be preserved as a Grade-A listed historically significant building by the Council's Conservation and Heritage Panel. This is only an advisory report though, and with a heavily opposed planning application to turn the building into a conference centre and resaurant, who knows its' future?

There're some amazing features still intact around the building, although it is a shame most of the building has been raped with a Bingo marker, and that there's nothing really left of the Projection room, rectifiers or film rooms. :(

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Kings Heath is still a hole.​
 

Mini nut

My local and favourite, gone.
Banned
Crikey, when did this one go up in smoke then? I visited a couple of weeks ago to explore the ruins, and they WERE ruins too. Nice report, never thought I`d find out what the old place was like.
 
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