Cornwall Cinema Gazetteer

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ST IVES

Wheal Dream

There are records that suggest that a cinema operated within this building at Wheal Dream from about 1913.  This former warehouse is now the towns museum.  There is a distinctively cinema looking entrance, beneath the steps by the telephone box, unfortunately cast in shadow in this photograph.  It may have ceased with the opening of the Scala.

Scala Picture Theatre

The Scala was opened around 1918 by Mr G Ramsey.  It featured a 16' deep stage, 3 dressing rooms and a proscenium 18' wide.  The auditorium seated 446 and was decorated with murals of galleons at sail. In the 1920s Cecil Drage took over the Scala and installed Edibell sound.  Mr Drage would come to dominate St Ives cinemas opening the Royal in 1939.  His company was St Ives Cinemas (Cornwall) Ltd.  BTH, British Thomson Houston sound was installed in the early 1930s.  The programme was a mix of films and variety.

In 1950s Drage sold his cinemas to Garfield Daniels Ltd.  CinemaScope was fitted, with a reduced seating capacity of 386.  The screen was 25' by 10' 6".  By the late 1960s the Scala was a seasonal operation between June and September.  The building is now Boots the Chemist.

Palais de Dance

Variously known as Palais Cinema, Palais de Danse and Palace cinema, this had been a dance hall.  This cinema was first run by Penzance Cinemas Ltd and then by Cecil Drage and appears to have had several uses depending on demand and season. It was equipped with Morrison sound, 250 seats, 18' wide proscenium and 14' deep stage.  Two dressing rooms were provided.  It closed when the Royal opened.

Royal

1960's poster for the St Ives Royal & Scala cinemas

This cinema is a striking modern 1930s cinema tucked away in the steep narrow streets of St Ives.  It was certainly an ambitious enterprise by Cecil Drage.  However it could easily have been a more important structure.

The original plans submitted in August 1938 were by George Coles.  He proposed an impressive looking cinema with a round corner entrance to the left of the frontage (nearest the town centre).  This contained a double height round foyer with access to all areas of the auditorium.  Coles positioned the screen at the town end taking advantage of the gentle slope of the site for the rake of the stalls.  Organ chambers were included and seating was 562 at 2'6", 198 at 2'9" total 760.  Revised plans were submitted by Coles in October 1938.  Then the entrance had been moved to the centre of the frontage and was flat, and less appealing.  There were three large windows over the entrance with columns dividing them.  The interior plan was basically the same. It is not clear why the project could not proceed with either of George Coles plans, however in December 1938 the Penzance based Cowell, Drewitt & Wheatly architects submitted plans of the cinema we see today.  Slightly smaller than Coles and with the screen at the other end of the sight. Opened on 3rd July 1939 at Royal Square, hence the name, with That Certain Age it had 686 seats with a   14' deep stage and 30' proscenium width.  In the 1950s Mr Drage's St Ives Cinemas (Cornwall) Ltd were sold to Garfield Daniels Ltd who installed CinemaScope and in the 1960s, improved the BTH, British Thomson Houston sound with Magnetic, and 70mm projection.  The screen was 28' by 14'. The cinema was bought by Geoff Greaves of Merlin Cinemas Ltd on 9th November 1990.  He tripled the auditorium, 200, 150 and 80 seats with Dolby Digital in screen 1 (circle), and Dolby Stereo 2 and 3.  There is a cafe in the foyer.

Gone but not forgotten:        Picturedrome

West of England Cinemas Ltd, took over a cinema operation called Picturedrome that had been operating at the Public Hall in Fore Street.  No trace of the Public Hall remains today.

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