How British Cinemas have Changed in the Past 100 Years through Pictures

Cinema a century ago was a new, exciting and highly democratic form of entertainment. Picture houses nationwide offered a sociable, lively environment in which to relax and escape from the daily grind. With feature films still rare, the programme was an entertaining, ever-changing roster of short items with live musical accompaniment. Here's a collection of 38 pictures that show how British cinemas have changed in the past 100 years.

The Cinema House, Sheffield, 1914

The Regent Cinema, Sheffield, 1927

The Regal Cinema, Marble Arch, London, c.1928

The Granada, Tooting, London, c.1931

Gaumont Palace, King's Road, London, 1934

The Savoy, Enfield, 1935

The Ritz, Barnsley, 1937

Gaumont Holloway, London, c.1937

Clock Cinema, Leeds, 1938

News Theatre (now Tyneside Cinema), Newcastle, 1938

The Academy Cinema, Oxford Street, London, c.1945

Warner West End (now Vue Leicester Square), London, 1946

The Carlton, Nottingham, 1946

National Film Theatre Telekinema at the Festival of Britain (later moved to the current BFI Southbank site), London, 1951

The Astoria, Charing Cross Road, London, 1956

Columbia Cinema (now Curzon Soho), London, 1958

The Empire Theatre (now The Empire Leicester Square), London, 1959

The Cosmo (now Glasgow Film Theatre), Glasgow, 1960

Curzon Mayfair, London, 1965

Cameo Royal Cinema, Great Windmill Street, London, 1967

The Florida, Enfield, 1970

EMI International Film Theatre (now Curzon Renoir), London, 1976

Filmhouse, Edinburgh, c.1979. Credit: Edinburgh Evening News.

Odeon Chelsea (now Curzon Chelsea), London, 1981

National Film Theatre (now BFI Southbank), c.1981

Curzon West End (now Curzon Soho), London, 1985

Cornerhouse, Manchester, 1986

Curzon Phoenix, Phoenix Street, London, 1986

Curzon Mayfair, London, 1986

Showcase Cinemas, Nottingham, c.1988

UCI, Whiteley's Shopping Centre, Bayswater, London, 1989

Broadway, Nottingham, 1993

Harbour Lights Picturehouse, Southampton, 1995

QUAD, Derby, 2010. Credit: Graham Lucas Commons.

Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast, c.2012

Odeon BFI IMAX, London, 2012

Watershed, Bristol, 2014. Credit: Toby Farrow.

The Showroom, Sheffield, 2014

(via BFI)