ABC Cinema - Hanley Stoke-on-Trent A look back from 1963

ABC Cinema Hanley
Built in 1963, the ABC cinema in Broad Street, Hanley, became a regular attraction amongst many movie enthusiastic Potters, waiting to catch a glimpse of the latest release, mainly on a weekend.
For many, it provided the ideal night out, and for many more, it was a perfect day out to watch a matinee.
There had also been a 10-pin bowling alley next door when the cinema opened, which later became a night club and then later a casino, when the bowling craze declined. You could find all the entertainment you needed for the night, right there.
On the outside, the building wasn't really captivating or attractive, but, on the inside, it was a different story. The staff was always gracious in the way they made you feel welcome, as they offered the highest standard of service. The usherettes never complained about assisting their visitors to the correct picture room.
The service counter and ticket office were there as you walked in. You didn't have to take a second look for assistance. It was right there on hand. Even when it was cold, as well as the heating provided, the atmosphere used to warm you up, in this predominantly red coloured cinema house.
Now gone but not forgotten.
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[@PurityVendetta]

I can't remember how many films I saw at the ABC. The pictures of it boarded up and wrecked felt like having part of my childhood trashed. Very sad indeed.

[@GayorgVonTrapp]

To this day I haven’t sat in a more impressive cinema than screen 1 at the ABC. It was immense. Saw Star Trek 1 there and Superman 2.

[@Nick_Smith1970]

It was ace. So big inside. Used to love going there.

[@mysterben]

Loved this Cinema, used to work in Stanley casino next door and would come out of work, walk next door and watch a movie before going home. The movie marathons were awesome too, they had a star trek one that started in the afternoon and did motion picture to generations in one go. I remember staggering out at 9am the next day, doing the car boot on Valentinos car park and heading to Yates for coffee :D

[@user-ux5nv9sz9f]

I helped with the removal when the casino shut down

[@howardsix9708]

as I remember there was the cine-bowl ( with a members bar ) and a casino under the pictures....the casino was "Churchill's, and I stilll have my membership card from those years ago.......excellent upload, thank you for the memories................

[@db2805]

I used to go almost every week, I loved this cinema. Can anyone remember the lovely ladies who worked there. They also sold the best choc ices ever. Happy memories sad it's gone now.

[@davidrayner182]

Before it was tripled in 1977, it had a massive, stadium like auditorium with a massive sixty feet wide screen on which both 35mm CinemaScope and 70mm Todd-AO looked very impressive.

[@prow9999]

The first film to be shown under CinemaScope was 2001: A Space Oddysey

[@davidrayner9376]

No, it was THE CRACKSMAN in August, 1963, 2001 was in 70mm.@@prow9999

[@deeceecorfield8103]

Great video, thanks for sharing. Great memories!

[@Woolliscroft1]

We used to go and watch the bowling in the cellar. We never actually had a go, we just watched. I remember the building next door had the 'Pink stamps' office. I think they were something like 'Green shield stamps'.

[@Pacific1957]

S & H Pink Stamps. They were rivals of Green Shield.

[@johnfellows2867]

Went there when it first opened, and saw " Zulu" twice in one day !! Went to the actual battlefield site in South Africa in 2016, That was a major item off the bucket list !!

[@angusmeigh5141]

I remember that cinema! I saw a couple of films there way back in the 1970s including Jaws and Superman. I also saw a couple of films there back in the 1990s.

[@gloooopo]

They should have listed this place and kept it just as it was. Loved the bar area with the slightly too small tables and chairs. Great memories.

[@john111257]

social distancing

[@Bulletguy07]

ABC Cinebowl was a fantastic cinema way ahead of any others in the Potteries with it's massive screen, brilliant audio system, and plush seating for 1300 all on one level. I remember going to see Zulu there and folk were QUEUING to get in!! Same with Grand Prix, another brilliant movie well suited to that sort of cinema. Sadly it didn't last and went over to multiplex with three poxy little cinemas. I went to see a movie there and never went back....you could hear the film being shown next door! During it's day as the Cinebowl, the 10 pin bowling alley was also great fun and myself and friends had many games there. Nothing will ever equal the original screen and sound. I watched Zulu last year on a friends 55" tv and even with the soundbar it was no match for the memories of the Cinebowl.

[@PurpleRecords1972]

Great cinema, Captain Nemo and the Underwater City, Jaws, Monty Python,Saturday night Night Fever, Star Trek 3, Apollo 13 - one Saturday night me and two mates tried to get into Baileys night club. We were refused so went down to the ABC, two films were on - Rory Gallagher Irish Tour and Quo live, loads of rockers were in - "turn it up or we'll rip the seats out", numerous shouts and the volume went up lol. No taxis so we walked it home to Longton - great memories...

[@willswheels283]

What a shame that a building is allowed to go downhill like this, but sadly there are more in SOT that have either gone or going the same way, good vid mate.

[@angusmeigh5141]

I also remember the multiplex cinema at Festival Park way back in the 1990s.

[@chrisparkes2179]

@@angusmeigh5141 It was the owners of the multiplex that bought the ABC and slashed the screens so that it couldn't be reopened as a cinema so there wouldn't be any competition.

[@user-ux5nv9sz9f]

I went to this cinema many times as a kid I lived in Shelton

[@RyanJohnson-ox3py]

Sad day when they closed the ABC in Hanley saw many a great film there the first being back to the future and remember waiting round the corner to watch titanic

[@ohheyitskevinc]

Great memories there. Saw Tron and Ghostbusters when I was 8 and 10 respectively. Same fate for my other cinema growing up - the Majestic in Macc. Cheers for the video!

[@Movie-Locationscom]

Heartbreaking to watch the video. I grew up with the lovely old Gaumont on Piccadilly, which remained nostagically my favourite cinema, but I remember the excitement when the ABC first opened (and the bowling alley alongside). That huge, curved screen, the wonderful sound system (films in stereo!) and sleek appearance. Not to mention the Concourse, the cool lounge where we used to hang out with a fancy Italian coffee. I saw so many films there in the 1960s. The last film I saw there was 'Jaws' on the day it opened, Boxing Day 1975, before I moved down to London.

[@wdwdeadeye]

My first cinema movie was at the ABC. Such a shame.

[@sputumtube]

Used to go to the ABC every week with my girlfreind. I remember a great deal of the images here. Such a shame to see it gone to ruin. We also used to go to what was then called Romeo & Juliets nightclub next door. Still got the membership card somewhere.

[@dsgbmatt]

Jurassic park, Wayne’s world 2, ghostbusters 2, batman forever, Star Trek 4, power rangers movie, home alone 2 all at this cinema and I loved every second there. It had more soul than festival park could ever have!

[@tangerinedream7211]

First visit as a kid was to see Grand Prix as I'd just had my first Scalextric set. Remember seeing Jaws, Start wars, python films etc. Gone but not forgotten.

[@nathanharrison6135]

Two big massive screens i loved power rangers here and casper

[@70Intercityfirm]

Jaws.. Starwars 77 as a seven year old changed my life amazing place what a shame but I have the memories

[@Woolliscroft1]

I remember there being ques right down Broad Street for Jaws.

[@odeon1161]

back in 1974ish the manager of the ABC Lowestoft was promoted to ABC Hanley. Mr Robin Hovell. The ABC in Lowestoft was the worst flea pit imaginable at the time....the promotion to a new venue like Hanley was an amazing achievement. In a final ironic twist the old ABC Lowestoft still operates in 2017 under its original 1897 name as a fully restored Marina Theatre.

[@user-wo4yu4lo2h]

spent most of my time in there between 1989 and 1992. Always get a Pork Pie from Brown's Butchers shop across the road. Saw Batman, Last Crusade, Erik the Viking, War of the Roses and many others. Also I think they did 11pm films on Fri and Sat around 1991 - saw Cape Fear, Exorcist etc. If I remember rightly one of the staff was called Jenny.

[@JasonJohnson-ro2nh]

I can see it now - long queue around the block for E.T., the huge council offices towering above it across the road. Even as early as the 1980's it was weird having a bar at a cinema.

[@hindgamerhd2622]

very nice video liked

[@xmikerx666]

The ABC ruled. The HUGE queue for Star Wars and E.T. great days. The cheesy adverts for local curry houses and stuff and also getting the absolute mother of all migraines from the weird intermission visuals. Intermissions? You may need to google them lol.

[@GeraldParchester]

But no one goes to the cinema anymore... It was doomed the moment we got TV'S.

[@SunnyBeetle1922]

I used to love going here. couldn’t believe it when they shut it down. The last thing I went to see was The mummy and ants back to back with me mate Lisa from Uni back in 1999. The first film I ever saw there was Who framed Roger Rabbit with me mum when I was about five. Fantastic days, Gorgeous Cinema, Always sorely missed💔💔💔

[@jonathanbuxton6991]

What a damn shame they pulled it down..This place would of made a perfect nightclub.

[@petetherealtreatdurose7733]

Can anyone remember The Heavy Steam Machine?

[@jacobmassey3897]

Demolished just 37 years after opening 😥

[@dazzp2]

First movie was "Jaws" for me, the Q was literally round the corner off Marsh Street , and that was a month into the films ABC premiere mum said , great dayz, Netflix , it just don't cut the mustard Does it

[@mc7t]

Knocked down due to Tesco's development and the annoying thing is that it's nowhere near it and is now just empty land... Heard Odeon cinemas purchased it to close it down so you had no choice but to go to the souless festival park cinema.

[@williamneale7238]

In reverse, ABC bought Odeon, and closed this down as the Festival Park site was more commercial having 10 screens.

[@Stecluz]

Yeah odeon took over them all

[@garethrees3592]

You’ve used some of my photographs to make your video. You’re welcome

[@stellafraser8351]

Would have been nice if this showed it in its HeyDay rather than trashed and derelict.😔

[@kevinwilson598]

Oh yes, The warriors

[@Nick_Smith1970]

I think the "Opening Ceremony" picture with Charles Hawtrey (of Carry On fame - left side in the white suit) was from the opening night of the ABC in Londonderry, Ireland, not Hanley.

[@Stecluz]

This was Hanley have proof

[@Nick_Smith1970]

@@Stecluz Ok, fair enough. Just that when I googled "ABC Charles Hawtrey" the 'Derry one popped up. No mention of Hawtrey at the Hanley one, that's all. And that's deffo Charles Hawtrey in your pic.

[@Nick_Smith1970]

@@Stecluz Apologies. You're right, of course. I just found this... "Film stars of the day, including Melvyn Hayes, Charles Hawtrey and Roy Kinnear, along with Wilfred Brambell of Steptoe and Son fame, attended the grand opening." And in your piccy you can see Charles, Roy, Wilfred and Melvin on the left.

[@harryroyle9137]

At 23 seconds in we have the opening night line-up of stars on the stage. From L to R, I can recognise Charles Hawtrey, Roy Kinnear, Wilfred Bramble, a young man (unknown), a man in tails (probably the cinema manager), then a collection of four people, and finally Richard Attenborough. Can anyone fill in the unknown stars? Could the petite lady next to Richard Attenborough be his wife Sylvia Sims?

[@davidrayner9376]

His wife was Sheila Sim.

[@user-wo4yu4lo2h]

one of the others might be Melvin Hayes as he was at the grand opening

[@simonturner138]

I think the only time I went was to watch The Life Of Brian. Maybe because they had already demolished our cinema in Stone.

[@williamreid779]

Did not last very long such a shame

[@Stecluz]

blame odeon they did it

[@john111257]

shirt tie and suit, years of decadence

[@ResepErma]

ok...