Carnforth Picture House, Carnforth

This cinema building was opened recently at Carnforth, an important railway junction about six miles from Lancaster. The hall with balcony has seating accommodation for about 530 and is fitted with tip-up seats throughout. The structure has been carried out and finished on economical lines, owing to the high cost of building at the present time. The interior has a flat panelled ceiling following the roof construction and the walls are also finished with large panels, sub-divided on the same lines, with plain dado. The front is stone-coloured terra cotta and has been adapted from material made for a much larger structure on a different site which was abandoned. It is hoped at some future time that premises will be built flanking each side and this would add much to its interest.

The electrical current required is obtained from a gas engine plant in the basement. This plant was supplied by the National Gas Engine Company, Ashton-under-Lyne; the terra cotta is by the Bispham Hall Colliery Company; the heating is by Messrs Saunders and Taylor of Manchester. The general contractors were Messrs R Thompson and Morris of Lancaster. Mr C B Pearson FRIBA of Lancaster is the architect. The perspective drawing is in this year=s Royal Academy Exhibition. [Builder 27 May 1921 page 679]

Opened in Market Street Carnforth as the Kinematic Theatre in late December 1920. Two years later it was gutted by fire with the original interior completely destroyed. By 1938 the cinema had been purchased by the Brennan Circuit of Barrow and re-named The Roxy. The cinema finally closed ion the mid -1960s and was taken over by the Co-operative Society as a food hall

Reference        Builder 27 May 1921 page 679
Reference        Bioscope 22 December 1920 page 5 - opening