Cornwall Cinema Gazetteer

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LISKEARD

Cinedrome ~ Carlton

The Cinedrome was a substantial small town 1930s cinema with its auditorium built behind existing buildings linked to The Parade by a long single storey foyer block with a clean curving corner entrance.  The auditorium was a single raked floor, however the decorated ceiling featured a dome (said to survive above the clubs false ceiling).  This entrance may date from slightly later than the rest of the building. Built by William Edgar Pope the cinema opened with 640 seats on 16th February 1934.  There was a 30ft wide proscenium opening and the sound system was Parmeko which in later years was changed to RCA.  The name Carlton was adopted from 30th September 1943.   CinemaScope was installed and the proscenium widened to 41', to accommodate a 40' screen.  The cinema survived into 1970s and is now The Carlton Suite nightclub.

Gone but not forgotten:        Electric Theatre

The Electric was built in 1911 opening in November and operated by William Pickles JP on a narrowing plot where Well Street and Fore Street almost meet at the junction with Market Street.  The front was curved and faced Market Street with a fan shaped auditorium (and building) extending south.  The cinema entrance was in Fore Street about half way down the building.  The proscenium is recorded as being 24' wide, and seating for 400.  Mihaly sound was installed. The odd shape resulted in an even odder arrangement inside.  The screen end was at the far back wall at the widest point on the site and the rows of seats faced this wall.  However the projection box was fitted halfway down the right hand wall, over two thirds of the way toward the back wall.  The beam projected out from the box at about 45 degrees to a screen set across the far left corner, the left side of the screen against the left wall, the right side of the screen meeting the back wall about half way.  This left all the seating at the wrong angle by at least 30 degrees.  It was not then surprising that the cinema closed as soon as the Cinedrome opened.

Paul Corin's Magnificent Music Machines

Paul Corin's Magnificent Musical Machines, is situated at St Keyne Station, just down the Looe valley from Liskeard.  Hourly tours include demonstrations of many of the instruments, including the 2 manual, 9 rank WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ from The Regent, Brighton, 1929. www.paulcorinmusic.com

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