Devon Cinema Gazetteer

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BUCKFASTLEIGH

Town Hall

This early silent cinema operation in the Town Hall and Institute and probably ceased when the Picture House was opened.  As this building was built by the Hamlyn Brothers, well known local cinema operators it is likely to have been run by them. To celebrate the unveiling of a Cinema 100 Plaque for the Picture House a special screening of Brief Encounter was shown at the Town Hall.

Gone but not forgotten:        Picture House

Built around 1922 on Station Road, the Picture House was run by A O Ellis of Plymouth.  There was seating for 270 and Mihaly sound was installed.  During World War II the cinema burnt down and was rebuilt after the war with a balcony.  The rebuilt cinema was operated by W Pickles JP and the proscenium width was 18'.

In the 1950s the cinema was operated by Buckfastleigh Picture House Co. Ltd with a screen 12' by 9', extended to 17' by 8' with the installation of CinemaScope.  The sound was RCA by then.  In 1964 the cinema changed hands again and was run by E V & R L Sadler + Mrs BJL Sadler, under the company Picture House (1964) Ltd.  The cinema may have operated until about 1969 and after closure was demolished. The cinemas location was in what is now the car park of the South Devon Railway.

Dart Valley Railway Cinema 180

In the early 1980s, the steam railway, now South Devon Railway ran a cinema in one of its goods sheds.  In 1985 the cinema moved to a purpose built structure at Trago Mills, near Newton Abbot. The 180 degree cinema was a popular but short lived cinema experience, later evolving into the Imax cinemas of today.  See also Flambards, Helston, Cornwall.

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