Solihull and the West Midlands area have several old cinemas. Some are still in use, some are used as bingo halls and others are derelict. In the text below, we discuss some of the most famous ones.
During the thirties, the Midlands experienced exponential growth. The people who lived there needed entertainment, and cinema was one way to provide it. Yet when the television arrived, footfall ceased and many of these buildings were repurposed into bingo halls. Some still survive today, while others have reverted to their original function and others are gone forever. We discuss these beautiful buildings in the article below.
The Odeon, Kingstanding
In 1936, an art deco cinema was opened in Kingstanding. Originally, it was going to be named The Beacon. However, it was soon changed from an independent cinema to one belonging to the Odeon chain and took its name. Serving the local estate, its first movie was The Lives of a Bengal Lancer.
It operated as a cinema until 1962, as the post-war drought in cinema-going set in. However, it was not long until it was reopened as a bingo hall known as the Top Rank. Today it is a Mecca Bingo and a busy one at that. The popular chain has a thriving scene both in person and online, where it often ranks in the top fifty bingo sites in the United Kingdom. This choice of either the convenience of playing online, or having a social experience in a beautiful building such as this has made the company one of the most well-known in the United Kingdom.
It is easy to see why a company like Mecca would opt for this building. A wedge shape, it has two curved faces separated by three brick fins. Originally, searchlights were positioned at the top in true thirties style. It is now a little rundown and could do with a facelift. It was given grade II listed building status in 1980 and this could explain why the cost of an external reconstruction may be too much.
The Electric, Birmingham
The Electric was the oldest working cinema in the United Kingdom. Its first silent movie was broadcast in 1909. In its long tenure, it has had more ups and downs than most humans have in a lifetime. Unfortunately, in February 2024 it closed its doors once again, and its future looks tenuous.
The leaseholder is Glenbrook, who stated in a public meeting they have ambitious plans to reinvent the cinema and the street. While they have said they want to work with key stakeholders such as the council, they also mentioned that the venue and the street have evolved over time and will do so again. None of this involved mention of it being kept as a working cinema.
The cinema is one of the few that always had its original purpose and never converted to a bingo hall. It started showing older classics, then was a cinema for cartoons, followed by European movie cinema and then went into adult movies. A second screen was added at one point that destroyed many of the original features. In the 2000s a complete renovation took place to try and restore them.
What happens next now is unknown. Celebrities such as Ozzy Osbourne have campaigned for its reopening. However, with the previous owners moving out it needs love to keep it going and not developers eyeing profit.
The Gaumont, Wednesbury
The Gaumont is another thirties cinema built in the midlands that fell on hard times after the popularisation of television. It was converted into a bingo hall in the seventies, lasting longer than many of its contemporaries.
Most recently it was a Walker’s Bingo Club, a rare independent operation in the United Kingdom. It was recently purchased by Adam Cunard who owns the Bognor Picturedrome. It was scheduled to be converted back into a cinema. Sanderson Weatherall announced they had negotiated the sale. It will involve a $2 million renovation project that will restore it to a 900-seater venue with five screens. Other options included dance studios, churches and a theatre. They plan to keep as many of the original features as possible.
The Dudley Hippodrome
Unfortunately, the Dudley Hippodrome is one of the casualties on the list. Opened in 1938, it rose from the ashes of The Dudley Opera House which had burnt down. It acted as a variety theatre until 1964, with top acts like Laurel and Hardy and Tommy Cooper featuring there. Its final musical performance was by Roy Orbison in 1974.
Acquired by Ladbrokes, it was then turned into a bingo hall. However, even then bingo would be in the day and shows would be at night. It was subsequently purchased by Gala Bingo Club who ran it until 2009, when it was taken over by Dudley Council. This then turned into a bitter battle with the council wanting to demolish it and build a university campus. Residents and theatre associations fought it, but the council got their way.
These buildings are a remnant of a world long lost. Those who have escaped the wrecking ball just need love and investment. With the recent shift to live music, and events and a renewed interest in bingo and casino culture, they now serve a purpose once more.
