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Old Street CLIFTON CINEMA
Gospel Hall
This building, which was reached by an
alleyway from the eastern side of Old
Street, and backed onto the old town
walls, was in existence by 1883 and was
being used by the Church of the
Brethren in 1891. It was still marked as
a Gospel Hall in 1924, but its
subsequent history is uncertain.
According to the records of Ludlow
Baptist Church, their baptisms were
also being carried out at the Old The Clifton Cinema was opened in
Gospel Hall, rather than at their own, 1938. The exterior was in a brick
newly-built chapel in Rock Lane, during Streamline Moderne style. Inside the
the 1870s. auditorium seating was provided in
Indicated on Ordnance Survey maps for stalls and circle levels. On the side
1884 and 1903, the building is still walls were large paintings of hunting
marked as ‘Gospel Hall’ on the 1924 scenes. The proscenium was 31 feet
edition. Since redeveloped, the exact wide. It was built for and operated by
location of the hall is now covered by a the Clifton Cinemas chain.
parking area, at the south end of Clifton The Clifton Cinema was closed in 1979
Court. Photographs of the Clifton and sold to the Essoldo chain who
Cinema, which occupied the site before continued showing films for a few
Clifton Court was erected and opened weeks, before they converted it into a
in 1938, show no evidence of the old bingo club. Despite a campaign to save
Gospel Hall and it is safe to assume that the building, it was demolished in
it fell victim to the site clearance for August 1987 and sheltered housing flats
the cinema in the 1930s. named Clifton Court were built on the
Nick Ford site.
Photos courtesy of Nick Sproxton
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