Gaumont Cinema Dingle Liverpool November 2011

[Kevsy]

The Gaumont Cinema is situated on Park road Dingle in Liverpool it was built and opened in 1937 and housed Britain’s first Gaumont projectomatic system. This is a cinema system that automatically changed film reels and controlled the lights.
The 1,500-seat Gaumont was designed by WE Trent, the chief architect for the Gaumont-British group, with a specific curved frontage to follow the shape of the corner of Park Road and Dingle Lane
The art deco building was built to replace the Dingle Picturedrome. After the Gaumont theatre was decommissioned it was turned into a bingo hall.
The cinema also boasted an impressive Wurlitzer organ which is currently in a Manchester museum.
Cliff Richard and The Shadows played here in 1961 apparently.
In the 1960s, the building, which is not listed, was turned into a bingo hall.
Mobile phone operator 02 use the old projector room and have masts on the roof.

Massive Thanks to Georgie T for spotting an opportunity to see inside and giving me the lead for this, Thanks again m8:thumb


The Foyer

Heading in the main section.

The old bar area when it was a Bingo Hall.

Seems like the side rooms were used for kids clubs,etc.

All seats were removed years ago.

The view from the top step.



Some old organ or keyboard?

Thanks For Looking.

[/CENTER]

[Savo]

Kevsy,cheers mate,now I'm trippin back to bein a kid in 60's and goin there every sat to watch Zoro
we use to bunk it and watch it,same as many other kids

[burkhilly]

I remember going to see Mary Poppins in that cinema - my one and only visit - I was about 6/7 at the time.

[az_gila]

Unfortuneatley I remember it in the 60's as a Bingo hall...

It's a pity the neat art deco stuff is falling apart - those that have been restored look really neat, like the Speke Airport terminal building.

[ChrisGeorge]

I remember swinging past the cinema on the no. 82 bus and there being a big poster for "Dr. No" on the front of the building.

Chris

[az_gila]

I remember swinging past the cinema on the no. 82 bus and there being a big poster for "Dr. No" on the front of the building.

Chris

Dr. No was 1962 (a classic with Ursula A. BTW......) so I think the Bingo bit was after that. The original article did say it became Bingo in the 60's.

Could if have been doing both functions at the same time?

[Kevsy]

Dr. No was 1962 (a classic with Ursula A. BTW......) so I think the Bingo bit was after that. The original article did say it became Bingo in the 60's.

Could if have been doing both functions at the same time?

I think it was about 1966 it became a Rank Bingo Hall till about 1998.

[Kevsy]

Thanks for the comments,its a shame it was allowed to stand empty and rot for so many years.

[ChrisGeorge]

Thanks for the comments,its a shame it was allowed to stand empty and rot for so many years.

I dare say that has been the fate of a number of cinemas and theatres over the years.

[az_gila]

I dare say that has been the fate of a number of cinemas and theatres over the years.

Have any Liverpool ones managed to remain but reused for different functions?

My optician in Los Angeles had hisoffice inside the shell of a cinema, at least they basically left the facade alone in that case...

[grekko]

Have any Liverpool ones managed to remain but reused for different functions?

My optician in Los Angeles had hisoffice inside the shell of a cinema, at least they basically left the facade alone in that case...

The one that springs to mind is the Abbey , Wavertree. Now a Somerfields supermarket.

[John Doh]

UPDATE: Now, unlike Somerfield, it's "Good with Food" - i.e. a Co-operative Supermarket!

[grekko]

Thanks J.D, I should have realised after the takeover a while back.

[Kevsy]

The old Royal Cinema in Everton is a furniture shop now

[Norm NZ]

The Gaumont was still a cinema when I lived in the Lark Lane area in 63. I must admit that I prefared the 'Mayfair' in Aigburth Rd though, is that still in use?, and what happend to the other one on corner of Tramway Rd/ Aigburth Rd? think it was called the 'Rivolli'?