On the 11th December 1912 the Oxford Picture Hall was opened.
Built as a cinema it had a scrolled and glazed canopy and auditorium seating was all on one level.
During 1936 the cinema was rebuilt in an Art Deco style designed by a local architect W.M. Bishop.
The new building was erected around the old one whilst still operated. The new balcony only cleared
the roof of the old building by 2 inches. The old cinema was closed for 3 weeks whilst it was demolished
and the Oxford Cinema opened on 27th July 1936 with Jack Hulbert in "Jack Of All Trades"
In 1962 part time bingo started and by the time 1980 came along only the 394 seats of the circle where used when films were shown.
4th October 1984 saw the last film: "Blame it on Rio" with Michael Caine when only 4 people sat down to watch it.
The cinema is now a bingo club as so many of these cinemas are these days like Kings Bingo in Sheerness.
J.D. Wetherspoon are looking to buy the building and turn it into a pub but the owner keeps turning down the offers hence
why I have been in and photographed it before it disappears forever plus the wife works there and I've been meaning to nose round for ages.
The building does need a lot of work especially on the roof as the circle has lots of buckets catching the drips so I wouldn't be surprised if the price is right it goes.
Sorry for the amount of pictures.
The outside:
Through the doors:
Ticket machine:
Stairs to the balcony:
Balcony foyer:
Balcony seating:
Lighting:
View from balcony:
Another door from the main entrance leads down to the cellar:
Boiler:
Main hall:
Now for all the behind the scene bits.
Projection rooms etc.
Rear of building:
