Cornwall Cinema Gazetteer

Go to... Bodmin Boscastle Bude Bugle Callington Camborne Delabole Falmouth Fowey Gunnislake Hayle Helston Launceston Liskeard Looe Lostwithiel Mevagissey Millbrook Newlyn Newquay Padstow Penryn Penzance Perranporth Polperro Porthlevan Port_Isaac Portscatho Redruth St_Agnes St_Austell St_Blazey St_Columb_Major St_Dennis St_Ives St_Just St_Mawes Saltash Tintagel Torpoint Truro Wadebridge

PADSTOW

Local ~ Public Hall

Operating in early 1920s this venture may have closed when the Cinedrome opened.  The Public Hall is in Church Street.

Cinedrome ~ Regal ~ Capitol

The building was first opened in 1919 as a music hall and theatre.  In 1924 it was converted  into a cinema called the Cinedrome.  Situated in Lanadwell Street the cinema is on the first floor and is surprisingly small.   It originally seated 279 and was operated by William Edgar Pope.  A café was included in the building.  The proscenium was 18' wide. During WWII Cornwall Cinemas (Newquay) Ltd took over the cinema and renamed it Regal.

The cinema has been operated by R W Williams since 1947 under the company WTW Cinemas, and was renamed Cinedrome.  When CinemaScope was fitted the screen was 13' by 8', and Morrison sound was replaced by Western Electric.  3-D films were shown in the 1950's.  Part time bingo was introduced in the late 1960s when the name was changed to Capitol and during the 1970s 'X' films made up the programme. In 1997 the original name was reinstated following a refurbishment.  The cinema now seats 153 and has Dolby Stereo. The plans for the building for E J Pope show that the Middle Street elevation featured an external balcony running the full width  with shops below.  This is still visible today.  Above the balcony were three tall decorative windows.  The projection box was built out on the balcony which was used for access.  The entrance in Lanadwell Street was under a large arch window.  Separate entrance and exit doors were provided with glazing above.  An on street pay box was provided between the in and out doors. The foyer beyond was also divided in two for incoming and exiting audiences.  From the foyer stairs led up to a lounge over the foyer lit by the arch window and access to the auditorium to the right of the screen.  The exit to the auditorium was via a staircase to the left of the screen, the one that remains today. This is one of the most delightful cinemas still operating in the West Country.  The tiny auditorium swallows you up with its atmosphere and the walls are decorated in a rough approximation of the original decorative scheme.  The cinema appears to run films well behind other cinemas including the nearly Regal Wadebridge, also a WTW cinema.  It is believed to make a sizable operational loss.  Visit while you can!

com