Comments on: Modernist Chester

By: jackdeighton

jackdeighton — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:20:17 +0000

Thanks for this, Rachel.
I missed the building on Chistleton Road, I was only in Chester for 18 hours or so – including sleep!
It is a nice example of Deco, though.

By: Rachel Cross

Rachel Cross — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:46:26 +0000

Chester Cinemas – thanks to Peter Davies for providing that complete list. The photo on this site with “Lot 76″ on it was the old Regal ABC cinema. One other building not mentioned was the “Cinema that never was” – a building just outside the city centre on Christleton Road, Boughton which intended to open in 1939 as a cinema but didn’t because of the War. It, too, is a striking example of Art Deco and now houses Auction Rooms. Have a look at http://www.bonhams.com/eur/chester/

Chester Film Society is enjoying its 40th Season and will have the 25th Chester International Film Festival in March 2011. As part of the Festival we will be exhibiting a display of the History of Cinema in Chester.

By: jackdeighton

jackdeighton — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:10:11 +0000

Thanks Peter,

The Odeon building is a delight. I wonder what was so bad about the previous designs that they weren’t allowd to be built.

By: Peter Davies

Peter Davies — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:23:08 +0000

Chester’s complement of cinemas were The Glynn, The Regal-ABC, The Tatler (later named Classic (all 3 in Foregate Street). The Picturedrome (now Next) in Eastgate Street. The Music Hall (now Super Drug) in St.Werburgh Street/ Northgate Street. Gaumont Palace, and The Majestic (both in Brook Street), and The Odeon (the final one to close) in Northgate Street. Although not considered a city centre cinema, The Park Cinema was a short distance away in Saltney. All the cinemas had a rough ride through the planning stages to ensure that they were in keeping with the rest of the buildings within Chester’s boundary. In 1935 The Odeon’s original plans were booted out several times until the frustrated Odeon’s owner, Oscar Deutch nearly pulled out and then had to accept that the building would never be accepted in his usual circuit design, but then he produced an art deco delight, opening on 3rd October 1936 and that still standing today, thanks to it being Grade 2 listed.
I worked at the last 3 remaining cinemas in Chester (Tatler, ABC & Odeon) and actually, as Technical Manager, closed the technical operation at Chester Odeon 3 years ago, being employed in these local cinems spanning almost 50 years- and still employed by Odeon!

Peter Davies.

By: Durham 2 – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton

Durham 2 – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:55:50 +0000

[...] though and despite my experience in Chester last year, I thought pickings in Durham would be [...]

By: jackdeighton

jackdeighton — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:24:12 +0000

Thanks, Spike, for looking in to my blog and for the info. It was suprising to see so much Art Deco in such surroundings.
But cinemas were the Deco buildings par excellence.

By: Spike

Spike — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:36:27 +0000

The Brannigans on the corner of Love Street used to be an ABC cinema. It closed down in 1994. Until a couple of years ago you could still see the stalls upstairs in the nightclub. Over the years a number of famous bands have played there.

There were at one time about five cinemas inside the city walls of Chester. Some of these included the Odeon & ABC, there was a newsreel cinema on the grounds of what is now the defunct Woolworths, it was called The Tatler, there was the Picturehouse on Northgate Street, now Superdrug, there was a cinema in what is now part of Mecca Bingo at the top of Brook Street. All of them are now gone.

By: Scotland’s Art Deco Heritage 21. Perth – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:05:22 +0000

[...] interplay. It’s a strange mixture, though, of brickwork and white rendering. Both the Chester cinemas I featured a while back have features in common with [...]