Cornwall Cinema Gazetteer

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LAUNCESTON

Gone but not forgotten:        Picture Theatre ~ Tower

The Picture Theatre opened in November 1912 operated by Launceston Theatres Ltd, the first proprietor was Walter Ellis Slack.  Also run by Truro Skating Rinks Ltd. The Picture Theatre on Market Street was basically a hut, very like a village hall, with a Tudor style decoration.  .  As the site sloped uphill the screen was situated at the front end of the building.  The plans allowed for 180 seats at 3d, 135 at 6d and 42 luxury chairs in three rows.  The hall was 30' wide and 60' long.  Sound came by 1932, BTH British Thomson Houston. The building was demolished and rebuilt, opening as the Tower, on 22nd August 1935 with seating for 422.  The new owner from 22nd November 1943 was Albert Jackson Withers of Cardiff, the cinema becoming the latest in his Cornwall Circuit.  CinemaScope was installed by the end of the 1950s.  The cinema closed in favour of bingo on 14.02.76 with French Connection 2 & Monte Walsh.   The cinema became a Rank bingo hall in 1976 when they purchased the circuit before being leased to Roger Harwood for 21 years from 1977.  The bingo became part time (4 days) while cinema was reintroduced for the other days from 20.11.1977.  Mr Harwood had successfully turned around the fortunes of the Athelston cinema at Malmesbury with a similar dual operation.   Some film shows continued until closure in 1987 and was pulled down for a block of flats. Click here for an exterior photo of the cinema from tintagelweb.co.uk Visit Tintagel Web

A photograph of the Tower during its later days of full time cinema (around 1973) Photo:        Cinema Theatre Association

The closing advertisement for the Launceston Tower

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