Wolverhampton's Architectural Heritage

Places of Leisure

Cinemas

Some of the earliest films to be shown in Wolverhampton were at the Drill Hall in Stafford Street. The earliest known cinema in Wolverhampton was the Pavilion in Castle Street where films were being shown by 1909.

Another cinema that opened at about the same time was The Electric Theatre situated in Queen Square next door to the National Westminster Bank. The cinema was designed by the London architect Herbert H Gissing.

Site of Imperial Palace Cinema 1975 (C3/QUE/1/39)

It opened to the public on 24th January 1910. In 1915 the Imperial Playhouse Ltd acquired the cinema and from 1916 to its closure two years later it was known as the Imperial Playhouse.

Bilston

The New Theatre Royal

The New Theatre Royal was built on the site of a slaughterhouse in Bilston Street and opened as the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1865.

Over the years it was known as The Star, the Hippodrome and the Clifton Cinema, or as it was known locally "The Blood Tub".

Prince of Wales Theatre Bilston Street c. 1903 (M8/PRI/E/1)

Click on the image to enlarge

Plan of the Prince of Wales Theatre 1905 (WTON/ 3592)

In 1913 the building caught fire and was rebuilt with plans drawn up by Marcus Brown.

The ornate plasterwork on the front of the building are some of the best examples of the art in the area.

Plasterwork Clifton Cinema 1979 (M8/THEA)

In 1931 it was converted into a cinema with plans by the architects Satchwell and Roberts. It changed its name to the Clifton Cinema in 1948, continuing until February 1966 when it was converted to a bingo hall.

Clifton Cinema Bilston Street 1960 (M7/CLI/E/10)

By 1978 the building was declared unsafe and acquired by the Borough Council who demolished it three years later.

Bilston

Woods Palace

Woods Palace c.1930 (M7/WOO/E/2)

Woods Palace was built by J Hickin & Sons to plans by architect Hurley Robinson at a cost of £30,000. The cinema, which opened on 17th November 1921, was built for Joseph Wood & Sons Ltd, the former owners of The Electric Palace/The Grand in Church Street.

The interior of the cinema was designed by Hal Prince with a colour scheme that included orange, black, violet and blue. The seating for 1400 people was in rich purple. The orchestra, which was under the direction of Mr Salisbury, soon acquired a reputation for good music.

In 1936 Thomas Wood retired and the cinema was taken over by Oscar Deutsch and it became Bilston Odeon - part of the Odeon circuit.

Surewin Bingo Hall 1975 (M7/WOO/E/3)

On the 22nd February 1964 it closed as a cinema, later to open as a Bingo Hall.

Wednesfield

The Regal Cinema

Regal Cinema Wednesfield c. 1950 (M7/REG/E/1)

The Regal Cinema was built in 1935 in High Street, Wednesfield by the builders HJ Amies & Sons of Wolverhampton for Captain Clift and Leon Salberg. Why the cinema was called The Regal and not Clifton, as the rest of the cinemas owned by Clift and Salberg were known, is not clear.

The first film, shown to the public on 14th October 1935, was "Bulldog Jack" starring Jack Hulbert and Fay Wray.

In 1956 a special 21st Anniversary Programme presenting The Student Prince was shown.

The Regal Cinema closed on 17th March 1962 following a performance of The Naked Edge starring Gary Cooper. A few days later the demolition men moved in and flattened the site.