Cinemas

A Memory of Wallsend.

I was born in 1951, so belong to the generation of Saturday morning cinema goers in Wallsend who just couldn't wait for Saturdays. The choice was big in the late 1950's.

The Gaumont (corner of Park Road and High Street East).
The Royal (High Street East) and now the Lloyds TSB bank.
The Tyne (Station Road) pulled down to make way for The Forum.
The Queens (Station Road) behind Woolworth and opposite the Memorial Hall.
The Ritz (High Street West)

The favourite was The Ritz, an art deco cinema palace. I was an ABC Minor - the junior cinema goers club and still have the badge to prove it. Sixpence got you into the stalls and a shillng got you into the circel. With only a shilling pocket money a week at the time (£0.05) it was the stalls, threepence for an ice lolly and threepence left for the rest of the week.

Happy memories.

As 'going to the pictures' was replaced with TV in the 60's and 70's the picture houses disappeared. The Gaumont and The Ritz remain, but as bingo halls only.