Sunderland, in the northeast of England, is a town built on iron, coal, and fishing. Its gritty, working-class backdrop has been the scene for many independent or classic movies. It is most recognisable to movie buffs as Blackhall Colliery, just outside the town, which was used as the final scene in Get Carter (Mike Hodges, 1971; pictured above). Recently one of its architectural jewels, a cinema built prior to 1914, has been saved from destruction by being moved to a living museum.

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The Grand Cinema

The Grand Cinema, from the Ryhope area of Sunderland, has been moved to Beamish: The Living Museum of the North. The Museum was one of the first to pioneer this concept. It started with the building of a Victorian and Edwardian-era street, filled with shops and industries that were a part of northern life in the early 20th century. Recently, it has added a 1950s-style area, with the cinema being a major focal point. In the 1950s heyday, this movie theatre was at the heart of the community, often selling out its tickets for screenings. The stage, screen, expensive seating and pit benches have been moved to recreate the original interior.

Even the new building itself has many of the original features. While the plasterwork was too old and fragile to move, it was molded and recreated. Two huge stained-glass windows in the old building were also taken out and installed in the new one. Finally, all the paintwork and features from the 1950s period were used.

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Popularity of bingo and changes to cinema

The cinema in Ryhope is extremely lucky to be repurposed in this way. Many buildings like this exist, as cinema was once the main leisure activity for large, new communities in a burgeoning industrial area. After the 1950s television sets became commonplace, resulting in rescinded footfall and sadly the closure of many cinemas in turn.

Bingo was the savior for many of these buildings, and this location itself became a bingo hall in the sixties. Post-war, this new form of entertainment captured the minds of hearts of Britain. Today, it is arguably more popular than ever due to the proliferation of online bingo sites. People can play in the comfort of their own homes and learn the basics of the game. This can often be done using bonuses and offers, so they don’t even have to deplete their bankroll. Bringing in more people this way has led to increased footfall in physical halls, many of them housed in these beautiful old buildings.

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The original visitors

Even more amazing than The Grand Cinema’s transformation, is that some of the staff who worked at the original site have actually visited the recreation. Eighty-three-year-old Bill Mather used to be a trainee projectionist and said it was the first step into his career in cinema. Visiting it transported him back to when he started working there at the age of 10 years old.

The cinema does plan to show old footage and movies. The museum is situated in Stanley, County Durham, and you can visit most times of the year. However, for the cinema screenings check their website to see what is on offer.