Report - Commodore Cinema, Bankhall, Liverpool

[Bovine]

This imposing building was built in 1930, with 2000 seats. With the largest screen in Lancashire at 34 x 22 feet and a 54 foot wide proscenium, it was truly one of the 'super cinemas'. Taken over by ABC a year later, it lasted until November 1968.

Almost at the end of its voyage as a cinema in 1967

Interior as built

Re-opened as a Mecca Bingo Club, this ended in January 1982, following which, it was a funeral directors, car parts shop and a market, before becoming a self storage facility.
The interior has been gutted and replaced by floors of units, but the projection suite survives, although the stairs have been bricked up.
I managed to access it and get some pics and stand in the same place that I did as a child of 12, when I was shown the projection room.

Present day

Facade detailing

Screen curtain control

Projection port view, over the storage units

4 colour stage footlights dimmer controls

Dimmer resistances other side of wall

 

[skgogosfan]

Good work on getting into the interesting bits. l always wondered what they'd done to the inside since the re-development!

Here's a "before" pic of shot 3...

Dave.

 

[CureForPain]

BUMP! Bloody hell, I had a look at this the other week and had no idea there was still surviving cinema stuff upstairs, just looked like rows of yellow doors. The girl on the desk was lovely though, almost apologetic that there was nothing left. How the hell did you figure out there was anything up there? Nice work

 

[KronJewels]

Good work, that's pretty sad what's happened to it though. Suppose it's better than demolition