A Newcastle cinema - and a wartime bombing
ANYBODY remember this place?
The Apollo cinema on Shields Road, Byker, opened in December, 1933 as the picture hall craze swept the country.
Tastefully decorated in orange, cream and blue, the cinema had several novel features which ensured its popularity with customers.
Instead of queuing in the cold, wet streets, up to 1,000 cinemagoers could be accommodated in comfortable, heated waiting rooms.
The cinema also had its own free car park – the first in Newcastle, claimed the management. In 1935 an 18–table billiard hall became an added attraction.
Children’s matinees were shown each Saturday. Up to 1,000 Newcastle East End kids would pack the seats every week to enjoy cartoons, Shirley Temple, Laurel and Hardy, and to sing Apollo songs.
Novelty films were also shown. In August 1938, the audience watched ‘Audioscopiks’ – short films in 3D and two–colour Technicolour. One featured a mouse on the end of a stick being thrust into the audience resulting in screams of horror.
The good times came to an end this week in 1941 during World War II, when the cinema took a direct hit from a German bomb.
The assistant manager, arriving for work, saw “a crowd round the front and when I pushed through, there was no roof on the Apollo.
“There was a blue sky above, and the radiators were hanging on the side walls, and a few tatters where the screen had been.”
Post-war shortages meant the Apollo was not rebuilt until 1955, using the original 1933 plans.
The cinema finally closed its doors in 1983.
After being used as a car maintenance centre the building was demolished in 2001.