The Elite Picture Palace
The idea of
building a high quality picture palace in Nottingham was actually conceived in
the trenches of France during WW1. J A Lomax, an officer in one of the Nottinghamshire Regiments discussed with his
commanding officer Lt Col Adamson the slum clearance taking place in the centre
of the city & how a triangular site between King St & Queens St would
make a perfect site for the development of a high quality picture palace
together with shops and offices.
After the
war, Adamson, who was a partner in Adamson & Kinns, a firm of London architects & Lomax the son of a Nottingham building contractor
formed a company together with the brewer Thomas Shipstone.
When it
opened its doors to the public on 22nd August 1921 the Elite was described as
one of the finest picture palaces in the country, a dazzling fairy palace and
the last word in amusement.
It was given
the seal of approval by being ceremonially opened by the mayor of Nottingham who
described it as one of the finest picture palaces in Great Britain. Telegrams
of congratulations were received from Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks &
other notable Hollywood stars. The opening film was POLLLYANNA starring Mary
Pickford the biggest female star at that time.
The
cinema had seating for 1,500 people & a very expensive, specially designed
orchestral organ which was to play at every performance. The facilities within
the building also included a restaurant, a Georgian Tea Room, a French Cafe in Louis
XVI style and a large ballroom located on the top floor. The foyer evehad rubber
flooring to minimise noise. (See drawings of the interior)
The Elite was not just for watching films but
a whole new leisure experience & one that could be used by all either day
or night. It must have given all who went a taste of the glamour enjoyed by
their screen idols and a glimpse of a better life.
Programmes
were given in a continuous performance from 2pm to 10pm.Prices ranging from 9d
(4p) to 2s 4d (11p) when the average weekly pay in 1925 for a male unskilled
labourer was £2.2shs & for a skilled labourer was 2.16sh.
The
introduction of legislation reducing the working week led to an increase in the
time available for leisure activities. Also, during the war, women had been
employed in factories, replacing the men who had gone to fight and after the
war many continued to work so increasing the household’s weekly income &
providing a little spare cash for treats like going to the cinema
The 1920s was a period of great social change. People were trying out
new things in order to escape from the memories of the war, and for a time
(before the depression) they had more money and more time for leisure
activities than ever before. Going to the cinema provided escapism into a world
of excitement and glamour and a luxurious environment in which to socialise.
Big named Hollywood stars also contributed to the increase in the
popularity of the cinema &
the public’s demand to see their films was unbounded. Icon worship became a
major pastime in the 20s and the Hollywood star making machine was pleased to
oblige with such names as Clara Bow and
Rudolph Valentino.
The first ‘talkie’ in Nottingham was shown at
the Elite Picture Theatre; George Jessel in "Lucky Boy" and after its
screening, the cinema was closed for several weeks in July 1929 for a re-furbishment.In October 1935 the Elite Picture Theatre was taken over by Associated British Cinemas (ABC) and they operated the building for most of the remainder of its life. There were plans to demolish it in 1972, but they were not carried out. The EMI organisation took over ABC and they eventually closed the Elite Picture Theatre in March 1977.
In the last few years of operation the Elite Picture Theatre had played ‘off circuit’ releases as ABC had their main Carlton Cinema in the town centre. The last films to play the Elite Picture Theatre were the (X) certificate double bill; "Erotic Young Lovers" and "Take an Easy Ride".
EMI converted the cinema into a bingo hall which continued until the early-1990.
The building was granted a Grade II Listed building status in 1990, saving it from demolition plans and it is now used for shops and offices.