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Original Text (Annotation: EPW028282 / 2042413)
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The King’s Hall. Originally built prior to 1909 as a concert hall. It was converted into a cinema in 1914. It was enlarged and given an Art Deco style design in 1932 by noted architect Robert Cromie. It re-opened as the Regal Cinema on 31st October 1932.
Taken over by the Union Cinemas chain in 1935, they were taken over by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) in October 1937.
It was re-named ABC in August 1963. Closed at the end of October 1965 for modernisation, it re-opened on 18th December 1965. The ABC was closed on 17th September 1977 for twinning and reopened on 1st December 1977 with 516 seats in the former stalls and 303 seats in the former circle.
It was re-named Cannon in the mid-1980’s when the Cannon Group took over ABC. In the late-1990’s a management buy-out took over and it was re-named ABC again. In 2000 it was taken over by Odeon Theatres Ltd., and they closed the ABC on 16th August 2000. The final films were Nicolas Cage in "Gone in 60 Seconds" in the downstairs screen and George Clooney in "The Perfect Storm" in the upstairs screen.
In 2001, the building was sold, and there were proposals to convert to a nightclub. These never materialised,and by the end of 2001, there had been two fires in the building, numerous break-ins and an illegal ‘rave’ party had taken place. By the summer of 2002, there were plans proposed to retain the facade, and build flats on the site of the auditorium. The building was demolished in February 2003. Now a business operates from the ground floor of the foyer, with the upper floor converted into flats.
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