HIPPODROME. Connah’s Quay
Connah’s Quay, CH5 4DF
HIPPODROME Cinema, High Street, Connah’s Quay
Arthur Correlli opened the 700 seat Hippodrome Cinema during 1910 by Arthur Correlli.
It operated as a silent cinema until 1930 when the British Acoustic sound system was installed. By this time the cinema was owned by local businessmen T. Williams, A. Davies, G. Davies and Mr Summerton, who formed the Enterprise Cinema Company.
The surprisingly sleek modern design of the HIPPODROME’S interior
As the original frontage was clad in corrugated tin sheeting it was decided around 1935 that a refurbished Art Deco style brick front would replace it.
The small proscenium opening restricted the screen size to just 16’x12′. The original sound system was replaced by Imperial Sound equipment.
The Hippodrome Cinema closed in May 1962. The last projectionist at the Hippodrome cinema, Connah’s Quay was Steve Williams. When the Hippodrome cinema closed Mr Williams became a relief projectionist at the Alhambra cinema until that shut down in 1967.
Steve Williams
He said ”The last film to be shown at the Hippodrome was The Innocents, which starred Deborah Kerr and Michael Redgrave. “I was choked to see the cinema go,” Mr Williams added. “I was really attached to it and loved putting the show on.
In 1975 the Art Deco brick frontage of the building was considered to be unsafe as it was listing. The road was closed so they could demolish the facade.
The building is now used as a retail business.
A recent view of the Hippodrome site
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