Alaway Cinema

Alaway Cinema Jensentown [16,0] Border Border Border Spark Crescent Alaway Cinema Capel Drive wasteland Pople Avenue Railway Station the Barclay Museum Basic Info: Cinemas are "shrouded in darkness" when unpowered. Cinemas are Dark buildings. In the presence of a fuelled portable generator, a Cinema's flavor text will change to one of the following: "…a black-and-white drama film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a recent horror film still looping silently on its main screen." "…an old horror film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a black-and-white documentary film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a recent drama film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a dramatic science-fiction film still looping silently on its main screen." "…a black-and-white science-fiction film playing on its main screen."

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Alaway Cinema

Description

The exterior has a Spanish styled entrance facade, behind which is a Spanish Baroque styled foyer lined with mirrors on the walls.

Barricade Policy

EHB at all times, please try to avoid using the seats to reinforce as some are original.

Current Status

Within a few days of closing, the theatre was broken into by a group of illegal 'ravers' (police numbers estimate around 500). Despite press reports that much damage was done to the interior of the building, it was inspected a few days after the 'rave' by the local Council, Conservation Officer accompanied by the chairman of the Cinema Theatre Association who found damage to be 'minimal' in the main auditorium and broken seats, a slashed screen and damage to a couple of mirrors and projection equipment in the smallers screens.

However since the Zombie outbreak the buildings condition has deteriorated significantly and is now a pale shadow of its former self.

History

The Alaway Cinema opened on 15th September 1930 (built on the site of the Victoria Picture Theatre (1907-1928). It was designed by architect Cecil Masey. The auditorium had a Moorish styled interior designed by theatre stage set designer Theodore Komisarjevsky, with a seating capacity of 2,697. It was equipped for stage shows as well as movies and had a twin console Christie theatre organ and there was a large car park and a cafe-restaurant attached.

The Granada was converted into a triple screen theatre in October 1973 using the balcony and original proscenium and projection booth for screen 1 and two small screen were constructed under the balcony. The 558 seats in the front stalls were later removed and this area became unused. The seating capacity was reduced to 944 (balcony) and 181 x 2 (in the mini's). The Granada was given a Grade II listed building consent from 24th February 1987.

It was taken over by and re-named Cannon Cinemas in January 1989 and in July 1995 Virgin Cinemas took control and it took their name. Taken over by ABC Cinemas and re-named ABC on 28th June 1996, they were taken over by Odeon Theatre who closed the cinema in 2000. A condition of anyone wanting to re-open the theatre would be that they could not show any film in the English language. A local Asian businesman took out a lease of the theatre and re-named it EMD Cinemas, initially showing Bollywood movies until plea's by local cinemagoers and petitions finally got the embargo lifted on showing general release films. However in the short time that it had been screening Bollywood films, it had lost its main audience and the EMD closed in 2001.

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