The Rialto Cinema in York was a much-loved building. Its demolition left a hole in the city’s Art Deco architectural scene, though it is still fondly remembered.
York is primarily known for its winding ancient streets and cobbles, along with its Gothic-tinged churches. Yet the city houses a range of beautiful Art Deco buildings, some still standing and others long gone. One of these was the Rialto, opened in the thirties. Providing a stage to some of the biggest acts of the time, it is no longer standing.
The Rialto Cinema
The Art Deco cinema building most people remember was built in 1935, and replaced a former cinema that was gutted by fire. It opened on November 25th of that year, screening a movie named “Gold Diggers of 1935”. This was done by B. Seebohm Rowntree, the Lord Mayor and local Sheriff.
During its tenure, it hosted some of the biggest names in entertainment. The Beatles played there four times, along with Louis Armstrong and Johnny Mathis. The owner advertised these acts as “artists of national and international repute” Its last movie was titled “The World of Suzi Wong”, and it was shown on the 15th of October 1961. After this, it closed for use as a cinema and theatre.
Its Use as a Bingo Hall
Today, bingo remains a much-loved pastime in the UK, embedded in its popular post-war culture. Playing online has also become popular, with many new and old players attracted to the bonuses on bingo sites. These can include free games, spins on slot games or matched deposits. Yet this has not kept people away from bingo halls and has instead inspired a new generation of players who want to move from digital spaces to more social ones.
Many of these buildings were used as bingo halls in later life. This was primarily after television appeared, and the footfall that had once been thriving for cinema began to waver. People could see moving pictures from their homes, and thus these buildings stood in a strange limbo until a love for bingo revived them.
The Old Cinema Interior
When it originally opened, the cinema had seating for around 1800 patrons. Created by the architect Frederick Dyer, he was responsible for many of the city’s Art Deco buildings, such as the St Joseph Church in Clifton.
The arch that separated the theatre stage from the audience was a sizable 45-foot wide, adding a touch of grandeur to the interior. This was perfect when, in 1955, a Cinemascope screen was installed that needed a 42-foot by 20-foot space. It also had a built-in organ, which was known as a Compton 3-Manual 5-Rank.
The cinema was owned by Mr J. Prendergast. Incidentally, he was the father of John Barry, who started cutting his teeth on the stage here with the John Barry Seven. Barry would later go on to score soundtracks for Dances with Wolves, Out of Africa, but most famously eleven of the James Bond movies, and he would become synonymous with the movie’s signature sound.At one point, it was the first cinema in the north to be fitted with machinery that allowed the projection of 3D films. However, this was a craze that did not really catch on, rendering the investment quite useless. Its mighty Compton organ was sold off a year after it ceased to show movies for a princely sum of £80.
The Buildings Legacy
There are many contradictions regarding what it was before the 1935 building was even constructed. There are writings that state that it was showing movies as early as 1910, though others have disputed this. Some even highlight how it was a small cinema at the front, with the back part used as a roller skating arena. Accounts then state that it was converted into a cinema named the Casino, before fire destroyed it, and it was rebuilt.
Unfortunately, the building was demolished in 2003. It had continued as a bingo hall until 2002, but with a new one being constructed nearby, it was no longer needed. There are several reasons for this move. The smoking ban had hit many of these clubs hard, for good or bad. With the ageing building, new purpose-built clubs seemed to be the order of the day. On its former site stands a car park.
A book known as Something In The Air by Van Wilson gives an account of York’s popular music scene during its heyday and sums up the building fantastically. June Lloyd-Jones was the owner’s daughter, and in its pages she states that “I remember as a tiny child running down the gangways with my father, and there was the anticipation of something going to happen… My father was always excited about what he did…. The live element is what was good in those days…. When you saw these people, they were stars.”
