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The building with the red bricks is the Park Palace - those who remember it have corrected me. It
was apparently never any larger than this one building. The capacity was 1,100. When built the whole of the front of the
building had a glass and iron verandah as there was no internal
waiting room. George Formby appeared here early in his
career. In 1904 King Edward VII is said to have visited but
by 1907 the builder and original proprietor, James
Kiernan, had sold out and the premises were used for films as well as
variety.
Through several new owners The Park Palace, ran as a
cinema, seating 950, it adapted to 'talkies' in 1930 and survived competition from
The Rialto until it finally closed in March 1959. Later part of
it was used as a Chemists, then a car spares store and today this
cinema part, still in good order, is owned and used by AdVenture Catalysts.
(thanks Nick).
The 'buff' building on the corner had nothing at all to do with the Park
Palace at any stage of their histories. It is said to have
been a Billiard Hall however it was actually a Co-op store with
a Billiard Hall above. This accounts for the discrepancies in several
published sources. Isaac Ball tells me that
the Co-op store had windows and entrances (one to grocery and one to
butchers) on the Mill Street side. He worked there in the summer of
1955. The Park Street side was entrance to stock rooms and cellar.
The co-op closed in the 1960s and later the
buff building became The Park Street Chapel. Today it sits crumbling
but with the mouldings are still visible under the peeling paint. Philp Mayer
tells me that these ornate decorations date from 1925 when the Billiard
Hall opened.
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Park Street at the side of the Park
Palace
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The crumbling paintwork shows
some intricate designs when examined
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The crumbling paintwork shows
some intricate designs when examined
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The Park Palace building in
2004
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External link to this building is HERE.
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