Leeds lost cinemas

franco · Post by **franco** » Sat 13 Jun, 2009 10:43 pm

Does anyone remember the Gallery private cinema club at the top of Kirkgate? If i am correct it was up a flight of stairs and catered to the Leeds dirty mac brigade. As a red blooded teenage lad i can remember gazing yearningly up at its iconic sign showing a fedora clad silhoutte sat in front of a cinema screen,no dought preparing to enjoy some hardcore Danish loops.I never had the nerve to try and get in however i had a mate who looked forty six at the age of fifteen who claimed to have once been. Strangely he would never elaborate about his experience merely saying it was "disappointing"

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Sun 14 Jun, 2009 11:50 pm

Leodis has just added 16 more cinema images to its collection- see the latest additions. Many of them are shots of the projection rooms.This sketch of the Ritz is my favouritehttp://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?resourceIde ... SPLAY=FULL

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Tue 06 Oct, 2009 11:53 pm

Regarding the Cats Whiskers in Meanwood on Green Road.The top building just below the Meanwood Methodist church, and just behind the red phone box on the corner was the Capital picture house (where we used to go as kids and watch all the cartoons in the 'Saturday Matinee') which then closed and re-opened as the capital bingo (a regular haunt of my mam along with the fraternity prize bingo opp meanwood Con Club).The entrance at the lower end of the precinct (next door to Sids barber shop) was the Capital Ballroom. After this closed whilst I was a young teenager I saw workmen converting the interior over a few weeks. The Capital Ballroom then re-opened as the Cats Whiskers.My mam Sylvia Woodhead was head barmaid there for a while, and they once held the local heat for the Miss Yorkshire TV contest there.As my mam was head barmaid I got to control the spotlight on all the models as they walked on & off stage (my local claim to fame).The Cats Whiskers and the rest of the shops were demolished in August 1976 (The Red Hot Summer Of 76).

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Wed 07 Oct, 2009 12:39 am

I don't remember the Gallery, but I do remember the Plaza on Briggate just down from the Tower cinema which was a dirty mac picture house. I managed to get in when I was 16. Those films would be shown on tv now after the 9 o'clock watershed, but back then ....!

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Wed 07 Oct, 2009 1:01 am

Ronnie wrote: I don't remember the Gallery, but I do remember the Plaza on Briggate just down from the Tower cinema which was a dirty mac picture house. I managed to get in when I was 16. Those films would be shown on tv now after the 9 o'clock watershed, but back then ....! I remember the Plaza on occasion showing some "daring" stuff, but I think it was generally mainstream general release stuff there. I recall going there several times, but not for anything "naughty". I went with some lads from work to see a Harrison Marks film called "Naked As Nature Intended", and the "stars" of the film made a personal appearance on the stage in front of the screen. But I'm pretty sure that was at the Tatler. I was disappointed. There was always a tree or potted palm in the way. I never realised until then that naturists played table tennis while carrying towels on their bent arms!

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Wed 07 Oct, 2009 8:57 am

Ronnie wrote: I don't remember the Gallery, but I do remember the Plaza on Briggate just down from the Tower cinema which was a dirty mac picture house. I managed to get in when I was 16. Those films would be shown on tv now after the 9 o'clock watershed, but back then ....! The Plaza (formerly "Assembly Rooms") is part of the beautiful Grand Theatre buildings, and has recently been restored to its rightful glory as a rehearsal studio and headquarters of English National Opera North, and other cultural performances - all dirty macs must now be left in the cloakroom upon arrival

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Fri 09 Oct, 2009 3:12 am

If I remember correctly; the Tatler cinema was just off city square towards the dark arches.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 09 Oct, 2009 9:02 am

Ronnie wrote: If I remember correctly; the Tatler cinema was just off city square towards the dark arches. Not quite Ronnie - it was on Boar Lane (north side) just beyond Basinghall Street. It was a very luxurious little cinema in a similar style to the News Theatre beneath the station.Having said that, you have reminded me though that in more recent times (late70s/early 80s ??) there was some kind of sleazy "cinema" in Call Lane which showed risque films in some upstairs premises - I bet that's where the confuston has arisen, but THE Tatler was the big one in Boar Lane.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Fri 09 Oct, 2009 9:16 am

BLAKEY wrote: Ronnie wrote: If I remember correctly; the Tatler cinema was just off city square towards the dark arches. Not quite Ronnie - it was on Boar Lane (north side) just beyond Basinghall Street. It was a very luxurious little cinema in a similar style to the News Theatre beneath the station.Having said that, you have reminded me though that in more recent times (late70s/early 80s ??) there was some kind of sleazy "cinema" in Call Lane which showed risque films in some upstairs premises - I bet that's where the confuston has arisen, but THE Tatler was the big one in Boar Lane. So were there two Tatlers after the News Theater Changed it's name?

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Fri 09 Oct, 2009 10:32 am

BLAKEY wrote: Ronnie wrote: If I remember correctly; the Tatler cinema was just off city square towards the dark arches. Not quite Ronnie - it was on Boar Lane (north side) just beyond Basinghall Street. It was a very luxurious little cinema in a similar style to the News Theatre beneath the station.Having said that, you have reminded me though that in more recent times (late70s/early 80s ??) there was some kind of sleazy "cinema" in Call Lane which showed risque films in some upstairs premises - I bet that's where the confuston has arisen, but THE Tatler was the big one in Boar Lane. At some point in the seventies, after the Tatler had closed on Boar Lane, the News Theatre changed its name to the "Tatler Cinema Club" and as you say showed risque films.I went to the one on Boar Lane once and saw "The Man with the Golden Arm" it starred Frank Sinatra as a professional gambler - that's all I remember about it. Like the Merrion Centre Odeon, is the News Theatre actually still there intact, or not?