nowadays its a bowling alley and snooker club on richmond road,we used to live bang opposite and my mum worked there when it was a bingo hall i'm told it was a cinema before that..anyone got any old pictures of it.

nowadays its a bowling alley and snooker club on richmond road,we used to live bang opposite and my mum worked there when it was a bingo hall i'm told it was a cinema before that..anyone got any old pictures of it.

No pics but can confirm it was built as cinema

My late wife worked there when it was bingo hall

I think the managress was called glady's

The owner at the time was called I think kerner or something like that

I used to frequent the Plaza regularly in the 1940/50's when it was a cinema. It was about a 20 minute walk from my home in Richmond. I was just about equidistant from the Plaza and the Rex at Intake but preferred the Plaza.

Mike

Hi
I have looked at the Handsworth History book and the Plaza opened in 27th Decemer 1937 and closed in on 29th Sept 1963 It the opened as a Plaza Casino on October 2nd 1963

Hi,
What a great place the Plaza was! Saw some of my all time favourites there..Calamity Jane, Jailhouse Rock, LOVING YOU, Love me tender. King Creole, Rock Around The Clock. To name just a few!!
Sunday nights were great..everyone would stand outside the Vimto shop, eyeing the lads up or the lads the girls. Can't remember any trouble in the
50's, but I do recall a character called Mansell perhaps starting a bit of bother. It was a lovely cinema! built in the 30's. Shame it's no longer used as a picture house. Spent my teenage years in there...plenty of lovely memories.:love:
Cal.:love:

Hi,
What a great place the Plaza was! Saw some of my all time favourites there..Calamity Jane, Jailhouse Rock, LOVING YOU, Love me tender. King Creole, Rock Around The Clock. To name just a few!!
Sunday nights were great..everyone would stand outside the Vimto shop, eyeing the lads up or the lads the girls. Can't remember any trouble in the
50's, but I do recall a character called Mansell perhaps starting a bit of bother. It was a lovely cinema! built in the 30's. Shame it's no longer used as a picture house. Spent my teenage years in there...plenty of lovely memories.:love:
Cal.:love:
Yes had some great nights at the Plaza in the early 60's. they used to have rock groups on a Sunday night every other week. Dave Berry, Freddie and the Dreamers, Jimmy Crawford, Screaming Lord Sutch and many more. During the interval we used to walk round the isles checking the talent.

cal1943 Where was the vimto shop ?.

The Vimto shop or drink shop was on Handsworth top just a few doors away from the Plaza. There was Hughs and Bon Bons great meeting places I loved the sarsaparilla form Hughes. I can remember going to see Freddie and the Dreamers and when I came back from the toilets he said can you here us in there cos we can here you.:hihi: I must have been there the same time as crustybread because I saw all the same acts. Cal1943 I think that everybody knew the Mansells then.

Hi Gracie,
The vimto shop was sometimes called the drink shop. It was one of the little shops on Handsworth top...about third from the Plaza I think!! They also sold home made Vimto lollies, and lot's of sweets. Can't remember it's correct name! perhaps someone else might know!
Cal.

I saw, Johny Kidd & The Pirates, Screaming Lord Sutch and many others at the Plaza. Back in the days of rock n Roll, at the Plaza :thumbsup:

Plaza Handsworth (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s02718)




The film showing was 'more than a secretary' with Jean Arthur, which was made in 1936.

billy mansell is still alive and living in handsworth is an invalid now cant go far without oxegen dont know about is brother barry

Used to walk there from the Stradbroke estate for Saturday morning kids' cinema shows. B Westerns, WW2, Flash Gordon, cartoons. What a rowdy lot gathered there.

I saw, Johny Kidd & The Pirates, Screaming Lord Sutch and many others at the Plaza. Back in the days of rock n Roll, at the Plaza :thumbsup:

Gene Vincent played the Plaza in the sixties.