Palladium Super Cinema, Waterloo Road, South Shore, Blackpool

The scheme comprised cinema  and shops on a site behind the “Royal Oak” Hotel. It was part of a larger scheme which was to provide for the erection of a three-storey building between the present structure and the railway consisting of a billiards hall, assembly hall, café, and ballroom. The cinema opened on 16 April 1928.

BLACKPOOL - Plans for the new Kinema at Waterloo Road, South Shore, prepared by Major Halstead Best, F.R.I.B.A., F.S.A., 8 Clifton Street, Blackpool, have been passed by the Corporation.  [Kinematograph Weekly - Thursday 21 April 1927 Page 51]

NEW BLACKPOOL CINEMA - Blackpool's latest cinema, the Palladium, now in course of erection, is designed by Halstead Best F.R.I.B.A., F.S.I., The buildings consist of a cafe (80 feet frontage) and six shops, having a front to Waterloo Road and the theatre. The buildings have a frontage of approximately 140 feet both to Waterloo Road and Havelock Road. The principal entrance to the theatre is in Waterloo Road, but there is also an entrance of similar proportions from Havelock Road. The floor of the main entrance will be of marble, and direct from this entrance access is gained to the foyer and to the two staircases leading to the dress circle. From the foyer patrons go direct into the auditorium through two pairs of swing doors. The total number of seats in auditorium and dress circle is 1,449. Most of the seats have been given a greater depth than is required by the regulations. The proscenium opening has been so designed as to be suitable should the building be changed to a theatre. It is intended at a later and more opportune time to utilise the additional land adjacent to the site of "The Palladium " for the erection of a billiard hall, ballroom or assembly room and cafe. The heating of the theatre will be on the low pressure hot-water system. The ventilation will be by means of natural inlets, the extraction being effected by fans, silent working, placed in the ventilating ducts in the roof of the theatre. It is proposed to introduce a new feature of theatre lighting, the whole being known as "secret" lighting, i.e., no naked lights can be seen. [The Bioscope 29 December 1927 page 14]

BLACKPOOLS LATEST KINEMA. PALLADIUM OPENED - It had been hoped that Blackpool's latest kinema, the Palladium, Waterloo Road, South Shore, would have been completed in time to permit of an opening for the Easter holidays. This, however, was found impossible, and the new hall was opened on Monday of this week (April 16). 

The new Palladium is one of the finest kinema buildings in the town. In late renaissance style, with dressings of terra cotta and brick facing of red Ruabon (sic), it has a pleasing elevation. The hall will 
accommodate 1500 persons, including a specious circle. There are two entrances, with half-a-dozen lock-up shops between and over the shops is a café running the full length of the frontage. A couple of staircases lead to the circle from the large foyer. Throughout, the equipment and furnishings are on the most modern lines, and the comfort and convenience of the audience have been studied at every point. 

In its present form the Palladium is part of a much larger scheme, which provides for the erection of a three-storey building between the present structure and the railway consisting of a billiards hall, assembly hall, café, and ballroom. In the meantime this additional site will be used as a parking ground for patrons' cars.

The owners are the South Shore Theatres Co. Ltd., and the directors are Fred Barker, T. W. Lees, A. Hall, and J. Hoyle. The architect was Halstead Best, F.R.I.B.A., Blackpool, and the general contractors Sir Lindsay Parkinson and Co., Ltd. Amongst the other contractors were Hathern Station Brick and Terra Cotta Company Ltd., Loughborough, terra-cotta dressings; Lawrence and Co., Blackpool, heating; W. Coop, Ltd., Blackpool, plumbing, etc.; R. Darbyshire, Blackpool, electrical installation; Leeds Fibrous Plaster Co., Ltd.. Bradford, fibrous plaster Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company Ltd, rubber flooring; and Gleave and Co., Blackpool, wall tiling. [Kinematograph Weekly 19 April 1928 page 72]

NEW BLACKPOOL HALL - Work has been commenced on the new Blackpool South Shore picture theatre, near Waterloo Road Station. The theatre is to seat 1,500, and the buildings will also include 10 shops and a lecture hall for public gatherings. Major Halstead Best, F.R.1.B.A., F.S.A., Blackpool, is the architect. [The Bioscope 7 July 1927 page 39]

The Palladium Super Cinema opened on 16 April 1928; proprietors were South Shore Theatres Ltd. Initially an orchestra accompanied the silent films, but in 1930 it was fitted with a Christie organ removed in the early 1950’s. 1,450 seats divided between stalls and balcony, with much use made internally of fibrous plasterwork on the side walls, balcony front and barrel vaulted ceiling. There was a cafe  at first floor level, running along the Waterloo Road frontage, and on the ground floor a foyer ran the full width of the building with entrances on both Waterloo Road and Lytham Road.

Terra cotta    Hathern Station Hathern Works, near Loughborough
Facing Brick  Accrington Brick and Tile Company Limited, Nori Works, Accrington

Reference     Builder 18 February 1927 Page 302
Reference    Builder 22 April 1927 Page 666
Reference    Kinematograph Weekly - Thursday 21 April 1927 Page 51
Reference    Builder 24 June 1927 Page 1036 (Tenders)
Reference    Kinematograph Weekly 23 June 1927 page 86
Reference     The Bioscope 7 July 1927 page 39
Reference    Kinematograph Weekly 22 September 1927 page 81
Reference    The Bioscope 29 December 1927 page 14
Reference    Kinematograph Weekly 19 April 1928 page 72