Royal Pavilion – Summer Season Programmes

3 August 2011

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The Royal Pavilion Theatre was opened by W. Morris on the corner of Rigby Road and Tyldesley Road on the 23rd of June 1909.

Blackpool’s first purpose-built cinema. The theatre was closed during World War I, and was re-opened at Easter 1919, with alterations being carried out in May 1925. It was re-named The Futurist Cinema in 1929, and became the Plaza Cinema in 1939. After World War II it became the Alexander Cinema, and after being taken over in 1948, it became the New Alexander Cinema.

21 November 1957

19 December 1957

By the 1960’s, it was again called the Royal Pavilion Theatre, with “live” shows staged in summer, and being a cinema in winter. It was taken over by Classic Cinemas in the late 1970’s, and showed repertory films. It closed between 1983 and 1984, when it re-opened as a live theatre, with “girly” and “drag” shows. Returning briefly to use as a cinema in 1990, it reverted back to live theatre use on the 1st of April 1993 after a gala re-opening, and then became an amusement arcade, then Charlie’s Bar and finally Scots Karaoke Bar.

The Blackpool Scouts Gang Show was held at the Royal Pavilion during 1966.