Electric Cinema, An Attraction With A Tumultuous Past

The Electric Cinema in Birmingham, the oldest functioning cinema in the United Kingdom

, has experienced a turbulent history since its inception in 1909. Initially it was known as the Electric Theatre, but the establishment has experienced a number of name changes over the years.

During the 1920s the cinema was renamed the Select and showed a selection of silent movies. Adapting to changing tastes in the 1930s the venue was converted into an amusement centre. Purchased by a local entrepreneur in 1936 it was renovated and reopened as the Tatler News Theatre, only the second such establishment in the city.

In the years following World War II with the increasing popularity of television, the demand for news theatre decreased dramatically. During the 1950s the focus of the establishment was altered yet again and it was renamed the Jacey Cartoon Theatre. This period proved to be brief, with the venue being assigned yet another moniker as the Jacey Film Theatre in the 1960s; at this time the cinema displayed continental and art house films. The 1970s proved to be the establishment's darkest days, with the once proud cinema surviving by showing mainly pornographic films.

The 1980s saw a resurgence in the fortunes of the cinema, being integrated into the 'Classic' chain owned by Lord Grade and being revamped into a two-screen format. This phase too was short-lived and in the mid-80s it was renamed the Tivoli before reverting to the Moniker Electric in 1993. The cinema closed down temporarily in 2003.

Subsequently the cinema was put up to be sold and was acquired by an entrepreneur of the locality, Tom Lawes. A comprehensive renovation was carried out in which the building was refashioned to its 1930s Art Deco appearance using photographs taken in that era.

The cinema now features mainly art house material, showing innovative movies without blindly following Hollywood box office hits. The Electric only features 100 seats, including some luxury sofa seats.

Additionally the cinema features a complete licensed bar as well as a comprehensive food menu and waiter service may be ordered by the occupants of some seats.

For travellers visiting the area an ideal hotel Birmingham offers would be the Copthorne Hotel Birmingham. This well furnished Birmingham UK hotel offers all the necessary ingredients for a pleasurable stay.

by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

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