2022
ST3049 : Ritz Cinema, 24 Victoria Street, Burnham-on-Sea
taken 2 years ago, near to Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, England
Ritz Cinema, 24 Victoria Street, Burnham-on-Sea
The cinema opened on 13th July 1936 with the 1935 British comedy crime film 'Hyde Park Corner'. Architect was Robin Audrey Thomas F.R.I.B.A. of Portsmouth who was responsible for the design of several art deco cinema buildings in Hampshire, Dorset and Somerset. Originally it provided seating for 612 customers but in 1973, when the British Legion purchased the building, the balcony was converted to a 204 seat cinema with a social club in the levelled former stalls. It closed in July 2002 but S&B Cinemas bought the cinema and it officially re-opened on Friday 24 September 2004 after an extensive refurbishment that included splitting the existing screen into 2 new screens seating 125 and 98. S&B Cinemas was Incorporated on 3rd March 2004. Another major refurbishment on Friday 23rd October 2015 introduced a third screen featuring specialist new equipment designed to assist the hard of hearing and the visually impaired. In 2021 the cinema announced it was to re-open after COVID lockdown with a new £30k digital projector. Still split between cinema and club, Somerset CAMRA describe the social club as "an extremely valuable community resource, currently providing a home to an eclectic mix of events and entertainment". Ritz Social Club Limited was incorporated on 13th October 2008.
This page has been
viewed about
34 times