# The Savoy Cinema (aka Ohio/Studio) - Kettering 2009



## MD (Feb 15, 2009)

The Savoy Cinema opened as a dual purpose cinema and theatre on 21st May 1938 with Spencer Tracey in "The Big City" plus a variety show on stage. It was erected on the same site as the Coliseum Theatre which opened in 1910 but housed in a building dating from 1903. In 1937 it burned to the ground.

The Savoy Cinema was a handsome replacement with 1,150 seats in the stalls and circle. There was a full stage with a flytower, and live performances were often presented, sometimes with a resident theatre company, for example the Northampton Repertory Company presented regular seasons here between 1949 and 1951. The stage was 43 feet wide, 23 feet deep and had a 60 feet high flytower. Backstage there were seven dressing rooms and a band room.

The facade was plain, but solid, and was outlined in neon. The interior was decorated with Grecian murals, had concealled lighting and elaborated ventilation grills down the sides and above the rectangular proscenium. It was a wide and reletively shallow house, which must have given it excellent sightlines.

In 1968 the circle was split off and extended forward as a smaller cinema seating 485, called the Studio, whilst bingo took over the stalls and stage area. In 1973 this screen was split into two, seating 160 and 140 and known as Studio 1 & 2. After a short closure in 1986 they were re-opened as an independent and were renamed Ohio Cinema, which finally closed in 1997 after an Odeon Multiplex arrived in town.A cool explore a 1st for us​














































all in all a good explore apart from mr sam getting a puncture and me ripping my finger open again.
big thanks to speed for the info


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## Goldie87 (Feb 15, 2009)

After for some reason never going in the ABC in Leicester it was good to finally explore a cinema. Its a shame its been smashed, burned and has extensive water damage, but was still good. I think before it was chavved it must have been good. Even bits of the projectors were still there, but someone had smashed them on the floor 





In one of the screens





Very old graffiti on the flytower door





Battery room





Bingo





Food counter





One of the original changing rooms





Original ventilation grills around the proscenium, hidden behind plasterboard 





Exit


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## Richard Davies (Feb 15, 2009)

It's interesting that it was called the Ohio in it's later years, as there is a Kettering in Ohio, not from Dayton.


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## Goldie87 (Feb 16, 2009)

Just found this excellent photo of it in its original state...





And the same view today...


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## King Al (Feb 16, 2009)

Cool explore guys, interesting place that bingo hall is so gloriously drab I love it


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## Lightbuoy (Feb 16, 2009)

Nice work MD.

Shame that it was split up. Golds -well done for finding that pic. Always good to see a "back in the day" perspective.


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## sqwasher (Feb 16, 2009)

Nice report & pics MD & Goldie, looks like it's not too bad in here despite the decay.


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## Concentration F (Feb 18, 2009)

Nice to see the before and after shots. Can't believe they turned that beautiful cinema into a naf bingo hall. What a shame.


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## Richard Davies (Feb 18, 2009)

Concentration F said:


> Nice to see the before and after shots. Can't believe they turned that beautiful cinema into a naf bingo hall. What a shame.



A lot of cinemas were converted into bingo halls in the 1960s & 70s, certainly a few explored here had been converted.


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