Devon Cinema Gazetteer

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OKEHAMPTON

Picture Palace ~ Premier

The Picture Palace Okehampton opened 1915, a rebuild of a previous drapers, by Blatchford & Dawe.  The cinema was operated by S Newcombe with 300 seats and is situated in Lodge Road, also known as Market Street. British Thompson Houston sound was installed and later a CinemaScope screen.  Mr Newcombe continued to operate the cinema until closure in the early 1960's.  The building is now a nightclub.

New Carlton

Geoff Greaves Merlin Cinemas wasted no time in converting the former Market Hall in Market Street into an up to date two screen cinema.  The main screen seats 160 while a fully licenced luxury Carlton Suite accommodates 60 in armchairs and sofas. The cinema was opened by the Mayor Cllr Frances Luxton on 22nd December 2006 by the cutting of a strip of film.  This was followed by a private screening of Casino Royale for the Town Council.  The cinema opened for the public on 23rd December.

Gone but not forgotten:        Carlton

Situated in St James Street, the Carlton was built by W E Pope who operated a number of cinemas of that name in Devon and Cornwall.  Somewhat reminiscent of the Tivoli, Tiverton this is basically a large barn with an art deco foyer attached.  The facade has at some stage had a shop unit installed that upsets the balance of the facade, inside is a long foyer leading to a rather bare auditorium consisting of just stalls with two boxes at the rear. The cinema opened in 1936 using Walturdaw sound and had 600 seats.  The proscenium was 35' wide.  The cinema has somehow survived to provide cinema entertainment for this remote part of Devon.  The cinema owner John Pope (son of builder) closed the cinema in late 2003 when he fell ill and has been sold to a developer for £200,000,  In 2003 it seated 350.  Demolished January 2007 for flats.

Gone but not forgotten:        Nerth's

In the late 1920s Nerth's mobile cinema operation was regularly visiting Okehampton at premises in Market Street.  It has not been established what premises were used.  The operation was run by Fred Nerth.

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