Maindee Cinema, Newport

[Fordy]

Im new to this exploring lark and havent got a posh camera, this is me and a mate jus tbascially having fun but il show you what we'v got. Pretty sure it hasnt been done before either. So:

The Maindee Cinema in Newport, South Wales opened in 1939 with "The Vagabond King" starring Ronald Coleman. Situated on a busy road, the cinema seated around 1200. Western Electric was the sound system installed.

The Maindee remained showing films for 23 years until closing in September 1961 with the Bob Hope movie "Paleface".

The Maindee was turned over to a bingo operation and finally closed in 1994. Ironically bingo lasted longer then it was a cinema.

The cinema remained closed for a number of years before being bought by the JD Wetherspoons pub group and is now one of the three Wetherspoons pubs in the city, but the only one in a former cinema.

I managed to get inside the back of house areas of the pub to view this:

The "void" area, up the ladded....

You apear through the door in the centre

and are faced with this

must be above the gents

Up onto the balcony to reveal

More seating

And a post cinema fire exit

Then down under the seating area

And finally, managed to get right up above the inner roof, scary heights up there

Thats is all!

 

[smileysal]

Nice work mate, i haven't seen any pics or reports from this cinema before. Best person to ask is Sheep2405, he's the South Wales expert.

Welcome to the forum btw, hope you enjoy it here.

Sal

 

[sinnerman]

quality find there

 

[Squidmato]

Mr Ford I think you need a better camera

Its nice to see this finally posted properly. I used to work there years ago (and now work with Fordy) and visited the "cinema" many times but that was before I got the bug (and camera) properly. I'm pretty sure you'll find my name written in the dust on the seats too.

 

[Nigelwyn]

Nice work. I've been in this pub a few times and while I might have thought that it was once a cinema I had no idea that there would still be the seating left upstairs.