Masonic Hall, Theatre De Luxe, The Regent, The Forum
In the 1890s, this location (then known as the Masonic Hall) was one of the first places in Birmingham to show early versions of film and moving images. It became a full-time cinema as the lush, upmarket Theatre de Luxe, owned by Electric Theatres. After a couple of name changes it became the ABC New Street – well known for more off-beat content like Woody Allen and Monty Python movies – before its closure in 1983.
93 New St, Birmingham B2 4BA
Photographs taken by Ben Waddington while researching an Invisible Cinema walk.
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Projectionist Larry French talking about the closure of the ABC New Street and giving his thoughts on the multiplex.
Planning Application (2023/03088/PA) has just been submitted for the site. Demolition of almost all internals and creation of new floors with additional storey extension. Apparently office use. All post Victorian internals have been deemed of lesser significance.
Remember seeing The Exorcist there when I was pregnant and being so terrified I wouldn’t go to the toilet down that long corridor