Newcastle, Gibson Street, No. 36, The Picturedrome (The Lop)

HER Number:
12848

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle, Gibson Street, No. 36, The Picturedrome (The Lop)

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Recreational

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Cinema

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Demolished Building

Description:
The building dated to 1878 and was built as a large three-storey house with a draper's shop on the ground floor. It opened as a cinema on 30 July 1910 with 500 seats and a raked floor. The builders were Messrs. Millar and Besford of Whitley Bay. The architects were Messrs. Hope and Tasker of Newcastle. Mr. J. Thorne did the decorations. The Picturedrome was owned by the Millar family. By 1930 seating was reduced to 280. A BTH sound system was installed in 1931. The cinema's licence was withdrawn in 1942 when police found that a 15 year old boy was working the machines. In 1944 architect Edwin M. Lawson drew up plans to reseat the cinema. In 1949 there were 184 seats in the stalls and 79 in the gallery. The cinema closed on 20 August 1960 and it was demolished.

Easting:
2573

Northing:
6435

Grid Reference:
NZ25736435

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Frank Manders, 1991, Cinemas of Newcastle, pages 130-131; In the Picture by Tony Henderson, Evening Chronicle, Thursday 11 February 2010, page 39; Frank Manders, 2005, Cinemas of Newcastle, pages 37, 93, 94, 109, 160; Terry Lynch, 2008, 'From The Lop to Star and Shadow' in Ouseburn Trust Heritage Group, Newsletter Spring 2008