Old cinemas of sheffield

did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker and how about the classic cinema in fiztallan square what were the others called the abc was one of them the gaumont,oden does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.

Originally posted by bigkev

 

does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.

The Odeon is now the Kingdom nightclub......the ABC is now a Travel Inn. WIMPY bars...there were TWO in SHeffield City Centre, one was on Fargate and became Burger King after a few other changes, the other was at the top of the Moor going towards the Peace Gardens....not sure which shop front it was but it was a big place that went back for quite a bit with a huge long counter. Very popular.......it was on the right hand side lookinn down the Moor before Debenhams.....maybe somewhere near that second hand electrical/musical junk shop place which has been there for years and years.

Originally posted by bigkev

can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema

The Sasparilla bar is now an antiques shop I think, but under the front window, there is still a sign in the wall which says Temperance Bar

Was Pondsfords (chesterfield road) a cinema once? I know there was a car showroom there a few years ago.

Originally posted by Agent ****

Was Pondsfords (chesterfield road) a cinema once? I know there was a car showroom there a few years ago.

The cimema was more or less smack-bang beside the railway bridge. it was called the Heeley Picture Palace.

It burnt down, gosh, twenty-odd years ago, now.

The newer building of Ponsfords , with the fancy shmancy bridge linking it to the older shop building is actually on the foundations of the cinema.

PT

Two more cinemas and a drinks shop :-

The Star Cinema was at the bottom of William Street at the junction with Ecclesall Road.Later became a petrol station. Spent many happy hours in The Star---first as 8 and 9 year olds,in 1950-ish,watching Roy Rogers....etc..... on Saturday afternoons.Then about 8 years later going in with friends to partly watch the film[any film!] but mainly to try to sit next to and chat up, a girl.The drinks shop [sarsparella...etc...] was almost opposite the Star but a bit nearer Town.

Another one was the Greystones cinema,which later became Napoleon's nightclub and Casino. Near both cinemas there were good chip shops. The one near the Star was Middleton's at the corner of Ecclesall Road and Summerfield Street.I went to school with the son ,David. Very,very lively area that in those days.Seems kaput now.

I saw Zulu with my younger brother at the studio 7 that was the last time I went into that picture house,I went to the Gaumont to see Rollerball.That was a cracking film on it's day,I used to go to the Heeley Picture Palace as that was closer to my home,some great memorys of all the Cinemas

Forgot to mention part of an old cinema.This was the "Gods" in the Hippodrome on the corner of Wellington St. and Cambridge St. I read somewhere that it had the biggest seating capacity in Sheffield and had started out life as a theatre.

I put "part " of a cinema because when I used to go with a mate of mine[both aged about 8,9 and 10] we could only afford to go in the "Gods",which cost about 10 old pence,[ about 4 new pence ].At that time a labourer would perhaps earn about 15-20 new pence per hour.

"The Gods"were usually a riot of noise and bad behaviour. If the film was even mildly boring,the audince would shout,joke and sling things over the balcony.This was the era of the Teddy Boy and even at 9 and 10 years of age,we tried eo copy them as far as possible.Had my first cigarette in there,I think---at least I remember smoking. There were no seats ,as such, just rows and rows of wooden benches !

There was an attendant who didn't even have a uniform---only a peaked cap ! He was getting on a bit and had no chance of controlling the mob. He'd keep disappearing and re-appearing and very occasionally he'd try to sling someone out but they'd usually sneak back.

At one stage,we were going to the Hippodrome about 3 times a week. If it was an A film,we'd wait outside and ask one of the Teddy Boys to take us in.It also had a sliding roof for very hot daysand probably to let the smoke out too.

Reminds me a bit of that brilliant Italian film, "Cinema Paradiso "

!

The Odeon was originally at the top of Pond Hill (think its a Bingo now) and there was another Wimpey on Commercial Street, right hand side going towards big islandQUOTE]Originally posted by goldenfleece

The Odeon is now the Kingdom nightclub......the ABC is now a Travel Inn. WIMPY bars...there were TWO in SHeffield City Centre, one was on Fargate and became Burger King after a few other changes, the other was at the top of the Moor going towards the Peace Gardens....not sure which shop front it was but it was a big place that went back for quite a bit with a huge long counter. Very popular.......it was on the right hand side lookinn down the Moor before Debenhams.....maybe somewhere near that second hand electrical/musical junk shop place which has been there for years and years.

I can remember the ABC on High Street, the Gaumont where mothercare is now near the City Hall and the Classic, what was the one on flat street was it the cineplex or Cinecentre or something like that, can anyone remember?

it was both. first it was the cineplex then they changed it over to the cinecentre that is one picture palace I was glad when they shut it down for good. You will have heard the saying men in old dirty raincoat brigade well that place was full of them cant tell you what they got up to not here anyway, it doesnt take much to work it out what with them showing all them swedish films.The first time I went in there I was taken aback of what went on it was even worse when one of them tried it on with me now I am over 6 foot tall and even then I weighted 17 stones but it was not fat you dont get much fat working in the heavy forge or rolling mills because of the sweat what you lost and the weight, I told him politely to move but he took no for answer so I just grab his meat and two veg and he screamed I was asked to leave but when I was going this limp wristed person says to me you can come back to my pad and we will get it on if you like didnt thump him just lifted him of the floor and said oh yes do you want to be bowed legged for the rest of your life because I will kick you where you you wont like it so I walked out. it was even worse at night going past there at 23:00pm the things that was happening If I remember correctly it used to stop open all night from 20:00 until 07:00am.

the ABC was on Angel Street, where the travelodge hotel is now, (at the side of the Argos store).

the Classic was in FitzAlan Square.

there were two seperate cinemas on flat street,

there was teh odeon, which is now a mecca-bingo place, and the one further down, on the landings above pond street bus station, was called the Cinecenta (not sure about the spelling, there)

PT