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Royal Aquarium, Great Yarmouth
Cinema Address:
Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth, NR30 2DJ
Period of Thompson Ownership:
1931-1968
How Acquired by Thompson:
Bought and Converted
Architect/Design:
Designed by the Architects John Norton & Philip E Masey and originally opened as an aquarium in 1876. Converted into a theatre by the Architects Bottle & Olley in 1883 and renamed the Royalty Theatre. Another smaller theatre also opened in part of the building in 1925. Sold by Thompson company in 1968. Conversion into multi-screen cinemas in 1970. Part adapted for use a seasonal theatre in 1984. Thick glass tank fronts are said to remain behind the curtains in the main auditorium
Fate of the Cinema:
Still operates as Hollywood Cinema and nightclub (2015)
Site Links:
Cinema from sea front
Royal Aquarium 1950s
Location Accuracy: Accurate
Information below is taken from The Kinematograph Yearbooks. The Page reference is from the following year’s edition, when information appeared. Additional information is in italics
| Year | Ownership | Population | Seating Capacity | Other cinemas in town | Manager | Shows per day | Changes Weekly | Prices | Variety/ Screen | Sound System | Other cinemas with sound | Kinematograph Year Book reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Thompson's Enterprises Ltd | 5 | WE | All | 417 | |||||||
| 1932 | Thompson's Enterprises Ltd | 6 | WE | All | 446 | |||||||
| 1933 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 6 | WE | All | 472 | ||||||
| 1934 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 6 | WE | All | 491 | ||||||
| 1935 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 6 | Continuous | WE | All | 505 | ||||
| 1936 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 6 | Continuous | WE | All | 555 | ||||
| 1937 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 6 | Continuous | WE | All | 578 | ||||
| 1938 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 6 | Continuous | WE | All | 562 | ||||
| 1939 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 6 | Continuous | WE | All | 499 | ||||
| 1940 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 6 | Continuous | WE | All | 467 | ||||
| 1941 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 5 | Continuous | WE | All | 466 | ||||
| 1942 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 5 | Continuous | WE | All | 446 | ||||
| 1943 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 5 | Continuous | WE | All | 452 | ||||
| 1944 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 5 | Continuous | WE | All | 411 | ||||
| 1945 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | All | 457 | ||||
| 1946 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | All | 293 | ||||
| 1947 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | All | 307 | ||||
| 1948 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 56769 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | All | 321 | ||||
| 1949 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | All | 326 | ||||
| 1950 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | All | 316 | ||||
| 1951 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | All | 297 | ||||
| 1952 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | 295 | |||||
| 1953 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | 292 | |||||
| 1954 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | WE | 278 | |||||
| 1955 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | CinemaScope | WE | 271 | ||||
| 1956 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | CinemaScope | WE | 271 | ||||
| 1957 | ||||||||||||
| 1958-59 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | CinemaScope | WE | 273 | ||||
| 1960 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 1500 | 4 | Continuous | CinemaScope | WE | 297 | ||||
| 1961 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 4 | WE | 282 | |||||||
| 1962 | ||||||||||||
| 1963 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 4 | WE | 275 | |||||||
| 1964 | ||||||||||||
| 1965 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 4 | WE | 281 | |||||||
| 1966 | Thompson's Enterprises Ltd | 52000 | 5 | WE | 270 | |||||||
| 1967 | Thompson's Enterprises Ltd | 52000 | 5 | WE | 254 | |||||||
| 1968 | Royal Aquarium Ltd | 52000 | 5 | WE | 244 | |||||||
| 1969 | sold |