Essoldo Cinema, Beeston Explained

Essoldo Cinema, Beeston
Former Names:Majestic Cinema, Beeston
Pushpin Map:United Kingdom Nottinghamshire
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Nottinghamshire
Address:291 Queen’s Road, Beeston, Nottingham.[1]
Coordinates:52.9225°N -1.21°W
Closed:14 September 1968
Demolished:July 1988
Architect:Ernest S. Roberts
Capacity:1038 persons[2]

The Essoldo Cinema, Beeston is a cinema open from 1938 to 1968 in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, England.

History

The impetus for building the cinema came from Max Nepolski of Majestic Cinemas Limited, who proposed a new cinema in Beeston to be built at the junction of Queen’s Road and Station Road, Beeston. It was designed on similar lines to that recently opened in Chaddesden,[3] also known as the Majestic. The main front towered 73feet high.

The cinema did not have much luck in its choice of managers. Two were convicted of theft in the 1940s. In 1941, the former manager Reginald G. Warner was bound over for 12 months’ for theft.[4] In 1947 the manager of the cinema, William Millburn Ross was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment[5] for embezzlement of £1,494 .

On 17–18 March 1947 the cinema was flooded when the River Trent overwhelmed much of Beeston. Fortunately the damage was contained.[6]

In 1952 the cinema was taken over by the Essoldo Group and renamed. It closed as a cinema on 14 September 1968 when the Essoldo Group was taken over by Classic Cinemas and spent some time as a bingo hall until 1988. The site is now occupied by a Co-op supermarket.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Essoldo Beeston . . Cinema Treasures . 28 August 2019 .
  2. Web site: Essoldo Beeston . . Cinema Treasures . 28 August 2019 .
  3. News: . New Theatre for Beeston . Nottingham Journal . England . 13 April 1938 . 28 August 2019 . British Newspaper Archive .
  4. News: . Former Beeston Cinema Manager . Nottingham Evening Post . England . 15 February 1941 . 28 August 2019 . British Newspaper Archive .
  5. News: . Embezzled £1,494. Cinema Manager Sent to Prison . Nottingham Journal . England . 20 June 1947 . 28 August 2019 . British Newspaper Archive .
  6. Book: Earp, Frank . 2017 . Secret Beeston . Amberley Publishing Limited . 9781445664897 .