Proposed Manchester News Theatre. 16 Oxford Street Manchester

In November 1934 Manchester City News announced the proposed opening of two news-reel cinemas in the city centre. The Tatler, near Oxford Road Station, opened in May 1935. However, it was the Jacey circuit of Birmingham that finally opened the Manchester News Theatre almost a year later. Notwithstanding the announcements in 1934, it would seem that MacDonald’s scheme for British News Theatres was aborted, Peter Cummings being employed to prepare an alternative scheme for the new owners

 Although it survived several years longer than the “Tatler,” the cinema finally closed as a news-reel theatre on 30 September 1967. On 13 October 1967 the British Film Institute reopened the cinema as the Manchester Film Theatre, operating a programme similar to that of the National Film Theatre in London.  Decreasing attendances forced its closure in April 1973. Jacey reopened the cinema in September 1973 as the Film Theatre. This was changed to the Jacey Film Theatre a week later, and to the Cameo Film Theatre in October 1973. The cinema finally closed in 1981 and the building was subsequently demolished.

Alister MacDonald, 13, Queen Anne's Gate, SW1 is the architect for a news-reel theatre to be erected at the corner of Oxford Street, and Hall Street, Manchester, near the Prince’s Theatre. [Kinematograph Weekly 17 May 1934, Page 43]

TWO CITY "NEWS CINEMAS" TO OPEN IN SPRING - Manchester is to have two "news cinemas" - small theatres devoted entirely to extended news reels which picture current events the world over. The ordinary news reel is, of course, merely a selection of the bigger events. An attempt to run a city cinema on these lines, during afternoons, only failed two years ago, but since then the "news cinema" has become well established in many parts of the country. Plans have been officially sanctioned giving permission to British News Theatres Ltd to re-build premises at Oxford Street and Hall Street corner, and Mr Norman J Hulbert, managing director, is visiting Manchester on Monday to arrange for a start in two weeks. The cinema has been designed by Mr Alastair McDonald, the Prime Minister's son, who will pay visits to Manchester during the week. It will seat 350 people. Opening is expected in the early Spring. The other cinema for which plans have already been sanctioned is to be made out of warehouse premises (formerly the Majestic Cinema) at Oxford Road Station approach. [Manchester City News, Saturday 10 November 1934 Page 13]