Monklands Memories - Airdrie & Coatbridge areas

 Cinema History

See Airdrie Cinemas

See Slideshow of Cinema Programmes below

 

The Cinema in Bank St (c1920)
opened 1913 closed and demolished mid 1960s.

 

 The Theatre Royal in Main St. C1905
opened as a live theatre in1875 was the venue for professional variety acts, changed to a full time cinema 1938,
closed 09/08/1958 and demolished 1966.

Below is a poster of the Theatre Royal - courtesy of John White collection

 

 Another view of The Theatre Royal in Main St. C1920

Notice the barbers shop on the left? I still hear the story of numerous boys getting money for a haircut and using it to go the Theatre Royal instead!
3d (1p) for the wooden-benched Hens Roost balcony.

The Garden cinema in Whifflet where generally there was more action in the stalls than on the screen. Opened as Garden with a small circle. Had nearly 1000 seats. Closed 1960s.  see Programs

Regal/ABC Cinema

The Regal in Ellis Street - off the Fountain way opened 1936 seating 1958 patrons, closed 1983 now a snooker hall 

The Empire/Odeon - c1955

The Empire - was between the unemployment office (the Dole) (the Buroo),   East End Timber, and the Telephone Exchange -
Opened 1912 as a live theatre - Sold to Singletons in 1920.
Sold to Odeon in 1936 and renamed the Odeon, closed Sept. 1976 and demolished.

Odeon C1949 courtesy of mawgrim

The BBs (BB Picture House) (no photo available) in Water St - opened by  JJ Bennell. He was considered to have been one of the great initiators of the Saturday Matinee which attracted audiences of 2-3000 to his afternoon shows at Wellington Palace. The children's performances began with singing the BB Pictures song:
"BB Pictures, they're alright
Come and see them every night
We will sing with all our might
BB Pictures they're alright".
 
Sold to Gaumont in c1928. Closed circa 1956 -demolished  
The space was replaced by Galbraith's Supermarket
The entrance for BBs would have been on Water St - to left of the Supermarket.