The Danilo was built on the site of a former hosiery factory and opened by Judy Kelly in 1937. It was designed to have seating for 1,250 people, and was the last 'super cinema' to be built in Hinckley.
In 1970 the cinema was re-opened as the Essoldo, and in 1972 was bought by 'Classic Cinemas' and was again renamed, then in 1973 the place was refurbished and had two extra screens built in, two smaller ones on the lower floor, which left one huge one upstairs.
In May 1993, the cinema closed as the last functioning cinema in the town. During 1994 a campaign to re-open it began but completely flopped, but in later years some work was carried out and the lower floors containing screens 2 and 3 were redeveloped into a sports bar named 'All Bar Sports', which finally closed in 2004, which today just looks like a sorry mess of soggy ceiling tiles and rusty fluorescent light fittings (I didn't take pics of this part, you can check out @AndyK s report for a more thorough look at the place). Anyway, most of the original cinema was just left to decay after the bar was closed, exactly as we'd hoped.
Visit with AndyK
Old upper lobby:
Walk through to main screen:
Main screen:
Some nice damn old seats:
No projectors
Behind the screen is the top of the main stage, it was mostly drowned in concrete when the cinema was given two extra screens:
Cheers
In 1970 the cinema was re-opened as the Essoldo, and in 1972 was bought by 'Classic Cinemas' and was again renamed, then in 1973 the place was refurbished and had two extra screens built in, two smaller ones on the lower floor, which left one huge one upstairs.
In May 1993, the cinema closed as the last functioning cinema in the town. During 1994 a campaign to re-open it began but completely flopped, but in later years some work was carried out and the lower floors containing screens 2 and 3 were redeveloped into a sports bar named 'All Bar Sports', which finally closed in 2004, which today just looks like a sorry mess of soggy ceiling tiles and rusty fluorescent light fittings (I didn't take pics of this part, you can check out @AndyK s report for a more thorough look at the place). Anyway, most of the original cinema was just left to decay after the bar was closed, exactly as we'd hoped.
Visit with AndyK
Old upper lobby:
Walk through to main screen:
Main screen:
Some nice damn old seats:
No projectors
Behind the screen is the top of the main stage, it was mostly drowned in concrete when the cinema was given two extra screens:
Cheers
