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FilmCentre Celebrates its 70th Anniversary! |
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The Plaza @ Truro The Regal 1 & 2 @ Wadebridge The Cinedrome @ Padstow |
2006 sees The FilmCentre in St. Austell reach
its 70th birthday in July. Throughout its years, it has entertained
millions of patrons, bringing the world of the big screen to generations
of people in St. Austell and the surrounding area.
The FilmCentre was built in 1936, and was opened as the Odeon, St Austell. At first the cinema had one screen, as was capable of seating almost thirteen hundred people. The cinemas consisted of a large seating area downstairs (The Stalls) and a balcony area upstairs (The Circle). Since its opening, the cinemas, has changed hands on two occasions. Classic operated the cinema having taken over from the Odeon chain, before its current owners WTW Cinemas, bought the cinema in 1978, having previously operated The Capitol in St. Austell. Under WTW Cinemas, the upstairs circle area was partitioned off and used to construct two smaller screens, (Screens Two and Three in The FilmCentre). Further modification occurred throughout the 1990s when the rear Stalls was altered to create two further screens, making The FilmCentre the only five screen cinema complex in Cornwall. At present, the future of The FilmCentre is uncertain, as the redevelopment of the town centre in St. Austell continues. The FilmCentre faces demolition as plans are on display for a new four screen cinema to replace the historic building. What is certain is that the cinema has delighted the people of St. Austell for many years, and will continue to do so until the future is decided! |
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