Flint, CH6 5AD

Owner:  Robert Davies.

Date opened: Monday 30th August 1920.

Seating capacity: 900.

Business taken over by Paramount Picture Theatres (Welshpool) Ltd:  1950.

Ownership transferred to independent operator:  1954.

Date closed: mid 1960s.

Building demolished: Retail now on the site.

Magistrate, Robert Davies, a five times Mayor of Flint, a tailor by trade, had interests in cinema exhibition.

In 1919 he had secured a central site on Church Street, commissioning Flint’s first purpose-built cinema. A modestly sized building with a balcony and stalls that would accommodate 900 patrons. Together with his son, Eric Vincent Davies, Robert’s intention was to operate the venue as a cine-variety. With a 25’ wide proscenium and a stage depth of 16 feet.

Naming the building the Grand Kinema, a Gala Opening took place on Monday 30th August 1920.  With little local competition, the business thrived. Robert and his son filmed local events/activities and added them into the film programme. Many would flock to the Grand just to see themselves on the silver screen.

All the films shown were silent. However, a permanent small orchestra set the mood to what was happening on the screen. One of the musicians was Bertha Attwell. Her Granddaughter, Christine, advised us that in her mid-twenties, Bertha was employed by Robert Davies at the Grand Kinema as a Musician/Violinist.

New sound on film projection equipment was installed in the early 1930s. It is hoped that the orchestra was retained for the variety presentations.

With increasing competition from nearby cinemas, such as Shotton’s Alhambra and the involvement of Deeside Enterprise Cinemas Ltd, who in 1938 opened their large modern Plaza Cinema on the same Street, admissions were severely diluted.

Empire Cinema, Flint.

During the war years, all cinemas, including the Grand Kinema, enjoyed buoyant business. As UK cinema admissions dropped after WWII, the Davies family sold the Grand and their other Flint cinema, the Empire, to the Welshpool based Paramount Picture Theatres Ltd, who had approximately twenty-six cinemas within their circuit, they took over managing the cinema from 1950 until 1954. It then passed into independent ownership.

Present day

Due to poor admissions, it was closed during the mid-1960s and demolished. Retail units have been built on the site.

chestercinemas.co.uk ©

Click on the BFI link below to watch a sample of the local content that Robert Davies filmed and appeared in-  

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-carnival-flint-1930-online

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