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| The Scala Cinema in the 1940s | The Dilapidated Scala Eyesore of 2005! |
1913 to 2000 and the Present
The Scala Cinema, in Prestatyn High Street, was sadly closed to the public in December 2000, after its structure was found to be unsafe. Now however, there are exciting plans to build a brand new cinema and arts centre on the site.
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| The Scala Cinema in the 1940s | The Dilapidated Scala Eyesore of 2005! |
The building in which the Scala Cinema was located was opened on 26th July 1900, originally as a Town Hall, by way of a private venture. The first animated pictures were shown there on 2nd July 1910 by James "Saronie" Roberts, a pioneer of film exhibition, hailing from Liverpool. Saronie converted the hall into a picture house, the grand opening of which took place on 5th July 1913.
At the time of closure, the Scala had therefore been an important facility in Prestatyn for nearly 90 years. Although the closure was very unwelcome, it has provided Denbighshire County Council with the opportunity to develop an arts centre and a cinema which is appropriate for the 21st century. This will be a facility Prestatyn deserves and can be proud of. Read about the work that is going on to build a brand new cinema for the town:
The Friends of the Scala meet at the North Wales Bowls Centre, Ffrith Beach, on the last Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm. You can participate in online discussion about the Scala at the Friends of the Scala site.
The Future of the Scala
Click on the images below to view the Burrell Foley Fischer architects' impressions and plans in greater detail. The files are provided in PDF format (you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them) and are copyright Burrell Foley Fischer LLP, London.
 High Street Elevation |
 Night View of Street Frontage |
 Ground Floor |
 First Floor |
 Second Floor |
 Third Floor |
The new Scala will feature a 150 seat cinema, a studio with theatre space, a second part-time cinema, a café and bar overlooking the High Street, a visual arts gallery and rooms for education, community and business use.
The plans involve the removal of the current ugly blue facade and restoration of the original brickwork. It is thought that the old brick facade was been damaged during the renovation works in the sixties. If this is the case then new bricks may be used to repair the frontage to the original design.
Denbighshire County Council has commissioned costings for the new Scala project, which will be supported by a business plan (due to be completed in January 2004). The cinema consultants involved with the business plan are working closely with the Scala Advisory Group, and will be taking note of issues raised in a further public consultation period. The architectural drawings above have now been submitted for planning approval and the chase to find funding is underway. The project is estimated to cost just under £3 million.
History of the Scala Cinema
Saronie brought the first movie to Prestatyn on Monday, January 9th, 1899, when the first film show in the village was held at the old British School in Caradoc Road. An original poster described the film as 'Animated Photography, The Greatest Wonder of the Nineteenth Century. The entertainment will include talks, songs and whistles'. Saronie also showed films out in the open air in Sandy Lane.
J.R. Saronie was born in Liverpool in 1872 but spent his boyhood in Prestatyn, where he attended the old Congretional School near the Victoria Hotel, (today's Old Church Hall) and the British School, Caradoc Road from 1876 to 1882, before leaving with his family for Birkenhead.
Saronie's original name was James Roberts, but he changed it to James Roberts Saronie by Deed Poll in 1912, because he felt Saronie would sound a better name in the world of business entertainment.
Saronie started his career in films at Birkenhead where he was regarded as a pioneer of something that was almost magic. Later he made films of local events and showed them at the Coliseum Tranmere. They each lasted two minutes. These thirty foot films, after being shown, were then rushed by cyclists at breakneck speed to his other cinema at the Park Tranmere, where a show was already in progress. In those days the show was interspersed with live entertainment. Some of his earliest films shown to a wondering public were, launching a ship from Camell Laird's Shipyards, Mersey River Scenes, Soldiers embarking for the Boer War, scenes on Mafeking Day, and the visit of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) to Ruthin. Saronie said at the time, people were so startled at the phenomenon of a railway train apparently rushing at them from the screen, that they jumped from the front seats and bolted to the back of the hall. Eventually he left Birkenhead to live in his new bungalow at Prestatyn in 1920.
During those early days, and for many years to come, children visited the cinema on Saturdays - this was known as the penny rush. To facilitate the entry of crowds of youngsters, a fire bucket was placed near the entrance, guarded by the manager, into which the children threw their penny admission fee. There was then no entertainment tax.
On 2nd July 1910, Saronie began showing films in the Town Hall, Prestatyn which he rented
for, 'An exhibition of animated pictures including one of the funeral procession of the
late King'. Also to be shown on Sundays were sacred pictures, one of which was 'The life
of Moses'.
Eventually in 1913, Saronie took over the Town Hall, on a semi-permanent basis and converted it into a cinema. The opening event on July 5th was announced as, 'Grand re-opening of the Town Hall with Saronie's World Famous Electric Pictures. The programme will be changed twice weekly'. By now Saronie was described as, 'The only, as well as the pioneer cinematographist in North Wales'. The changes of programme took place on Mondays and Thursdays, and there were matinees on Saturdays and rainy days. Later he held cinema shows at Rhyl, Denbigh and Ruthin.
In 1915, he was showing films at the Town Hall which included, 'A series of fine war pictures direct from the front that would appeal to everyone with patriotric instincts, also Adventures of Kathleen, Two Step Children (Drama), Daring Young Man (Comedy), When Villains Meet (Comic), and Naval Battleship in Action. Prices 6d., balcony 9d., children 3d.'. At the same time he was showing films for the troops at Kinmel Camp throughout the 1914-18 War.
In 1915, Miss Hardman became his Manageress at the Town Hall (Scala Cinema) where she remained for the next thirty one years and was said to have discharged her duties with great courtesy and efficiency.
As early as May 1915, Saronie was showing the first colour film in Prestatyn, described as, 'A three part Drama in nature's colours entitled 'A Queen's Love''. It was said to be one of the first coloured films ever shown. Later in July 1915, there was great fun and games at the Town Hall when several competitors tried their best to impersonate Charlie Chaplin. Their efforts were described as most amusing and the first prize for the contest was awarded to Percy Woodfine and the second to a soldier, Private Buckley.
The first talkie was shown by Saronie at the Scala Cinema in March 1930. The advertisement described it as, 'A great hundred per cent talking picture for three days only, Glen Tryon in Broadway. Original play dialogue with songs, gorgeous dance numbers, gaiety runs riot, spectacular scenes, big cast. Admission 1/- and 1/6d.'. During the same month the Scala was modernised with the removal of the old stage and screen. The roof was raised to double its height, the width was also doubled and seating for 400 was installed. Later in November 1930, 'All Quiet on the Western Front' was shown.
The Scala's rival cinema, the Palladium, which once stood on the site of today's Boots, was opened in the 1920s and was also showing talking pictures by 1930. The Palladium's first advertisement for silent films with sound effects occurred in May 1925 - 'Palladium, Moon over Israel. A magnificent drama of the Pharoahs. Augmented Orchestra with full effects'.
Saronie finally ended his career in 1963, when he retired and sold the Scala Cinema to Prestatyn Urban District Council. With his shock of white hair, he was a familiar figure to generations of residents and visitors alike as he stood outside shepherding the queues at the Scala Cinema. He died on June 16th, 1967 at his home 'Hillcourt', Mount Ida Road, after a lifetime in the world of public entertainment.
During the 1960s, the Scala sadly lost the old building fascias, and gained the present frontage. The site is today owned by Denbighshire County Council.
  
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Virtual Prestatyn Website Prestatyn Business Association, Tai Tywyn Business Centre, Sandy Lane, Prestatyn, LL19 7SF, UK. Tel. +44 (0)1745 887755 Fax +44 (0)1745 889704 E-mail mail@prestatyn.org.uk | |||
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