Do You Remember the Old Cinemas of Leeds?

All ages

Join us for an intimate talk with Jane Ellis looking back to the era before corporate multiplexes, when Leeds had around 100 independent picture-houses and cinemas, including the Hyde Park Picture House. Some being repurposed from what had been public halls of similar suitable buildings, many were architect designed, becoming instantly recognisable landmarks and there was the emergence of the international Odeon chain setting the standard for impressive architecture. 

In the 1960s, with the coming of television, most of these could not compete and closed. Many went over to bingo but most have either been demolished or converted to other uses.

As these fine buildings began gradually to disappear, speaker Jane Ellis began making a photographic record from the 1980s of what remained, and collected the memories of local people who remembered with affection the heyday of “going to the pictures”.