Electric Cinema

The Electric Theatre was opened as a cinema on 27th December 1909 in the centre of the city and has been showing movies almost ever since. Is the Electric Cinema the oldest working cinema in Great Britain? At the moment it seems it is, by just a few months. It was designed by noted ‘live’ theatre architect Bertie Crewe.

In 1921 it was re-named Select Cinema and was operated by C.D. Cinemas Ltd. On 20th March 1937 it changed its name again and became the Tatler News Theatre, and had been given a new façade designed by architect Cecil E.M. Fillmore. In the 1950’s another name change to the Jacey Cartoon Cinema.

During the 1960’s the cinemas programming policy and name changed to the Jacey Film Theatre and specialised in showing “continental” (pornographic) films. In the 1970’s the old Electric became part of the Classic chain of cinemas and maintained its “continental” film programme. It was at this time that a second screen seating 78 was added.

(temporary - "borrowed" from Cinema Treasures)