The Electric Theatre, generally known as simply ‘The Electric’, in High Street, was purpose-built on the site of the Empire Tea Store with its 750 velvet tip-up seats and tea lounge. It was opened on October 25, 1910, with the enticing ‘The Indiscretions of Betty’.
In 1928, it was taken over by Gaumont British Theatres chain and was closed for the auditorium to be reconstructed and reopened the same year with an increased seating capacity for 1,025. attached café was retained. The interior was remodelled in 1941 to make utilize unused space and increase the capacity to 1,050.
The first talkie (non-silent) picture, ‘King of the Khyber Rifles’, was shown to much excitement in 1929 which spelled the beginning of the end for the piano player.
The cinema closed for a few days, as did all cinemas, on the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 but was soon reopened with a special showing of Sherlock Holmes starring Basil Rathbone.
It was acquired by Gaumont on November 28, 1949, and was closed on May 29, 1956.
If you glance up at the upper half of the buildings in High Street opposite the banks, you can still see this unassuming piece of history that has seen so much change.