Another High Street Rebrand
I thought the ABC cinema chain was long gone. Apparently one has survived until now because there's an Odeon on the same street, and Odeon owns ABC. It's now finally closed down, along with that Odeon, as they're opening a bigger Odeon on a new leisure park.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-38500616
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-38500616
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all new Phil
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There are still three - there is one at each Butlins.
I'm not sure of the story behind those, because they come from an era when Butlins was owned by Rank - but Rank owned Odeon rather than ABC (and have never owned ABC to my knowledge).all new Phil wrote:There are still three - there is one at each Butlins.
I'm not sure they were even run as proper cinemas. My only memory of going to one was in the late 90s watching Beethoven's 2nd which started with a red coat yanking a screen down then fast forwarding through the "This VHS is protected by copyright..." message.
According to the Cinema Treasures website:
I wonder why Odeon thought best not to keep its name on this...The cinema was re-named ABC in the late 1990’s and was open to the general public on the purchase of a day pass, as well as holiday camp residents. When Odeon Theatres took over ABC Cinemas in 2000, the name was changed to Odeon briefly, but soon reverted back to ABC.
The ABC in Glasgow (which I remember from my youth as a Cannon, then MGM) later reopened as a music venue - also known as the ABC, and complete with the original ABC logo on the sign.
Then Academy Music Group took it over, so it's now the O2 abc and has a boring O2-style sign.
Then Academy Music Group took it over, so it's now the O2 abc and has a boring O2-style sign.
I don't remember seeing one at Bognor when I was there last year - in fact, it doesn't seem to be on the map. Then again, there's Freeview tellies in all the rooms, so I guess less need than there used to be.all new Phil wrote:There are still three - there is one at each Butlins.
From my experiences going to Butlin's at Skegness, they brought in Odeon brand cinemas after their big refurbishment in 1999, I think it was around 2002 they became ABC branded (around the same time the other ABC Cinemas became Odeon branded). Certainly a holiday video I have from Butlin's in October 2001 you can see the Odeon sign still there in the background.
I don't think there is an Odeon at Bognor any more, but there still is at Skegness and Minehead- the one in Skegness has 2 screens. They have an old projector in the lobby that apparently was in use in the old Junior Showplace before the 1999 refurbishment- the manager told me how he rescued it during the refurb, otherwise it would have been scrapped.
I know where I live when I was growing up, the cinema was Cannon branded (apparently it was an ABC until the mid-80s), then it became an ABC around 1995-ish, then moved to an out of town multiplex in 1997, then changed to Odeon in 2002. Though you can still see the marks were the ABC logo was attatched. The old cinema became a snooker club until around 2011-ish, now it's a happy-clappy church.
I don't think there is an Odeon at Bognor any more, but there still is at Skegness and Minehead- the one in Skegness has 2 screens. They have an old projector in the lobby that apparently was in use in the old Junior Showplace before the 1999 refurbishment- the manager told me how he rescued it during the refurb, otherwise it would have been scrapped.
I know where I live when I was growing up, the cinema was Cannon branded (apparently it was an ABC until the mid-80s), then it became an ABC around 1995-ish, then moved to an out of town multiplex in 1997, then changed to Odeon in 2002. Though you can still see the marks were the ABC logo was attatched. The old cinema became a snooker club until around 2011-ish, now it's a happy-clappy church.
The ABC Newport (which as a young boy I'd get excited about because I'd pretend it was BBC TVC) went a similar way as you've described:
ABC
Then Cannon
Then ABC
Then ABC closed and an independent chain (Reel Cinemas) invested in it and tried their best to hang on...
Then it got completely gutted and rebuilt internally as a Travelodge.
And if you think that's tragic, consider the building originally demolished to make way for the ABC:
That's progress folks.
ABC
Then Cannon
Then ABC
Then ABC closed and an independent chain (Reel Cinemas) invested in it and tried their best to hang on...
Then it got completely gutted and rebuilt internally as a Travelodge.
And if you think that's tragic, consider the building originally demolished to make way for the ABC:
That's progress folks.
More info : https://opac.newport.gov.uk/iguana/www. ... =LIONNNABC
For so long, the only cinema in Newport after the closure of the Scene 1&2 and Odeon out on Clarence Place / Corpa Road. When the new multiplex Virgin Cinema (which became UGC, now Cineworld) opened out at Spytty Park in the mid-late 90s, that was the death knell for the Cannon/ABC cinema; last film I saw there out of choice was Vertical Limit.
Interestingly when Cannon/Scene 1&2 closed, the local rag the Argus chose not to update its cinema listings codes. (Film listings had a series of letters next to their entries to denote which cinemas in the local area were showing the film, so you'd have FILM ABCEFH) so where A used to represent that cinema, it was simply left off future listings. H was added on as the Virgin.
Scene today : https://goo.gl/maps/GG1xpcVmgep
For so long, the only cinema in Newport after the closure of the Scene 1&2 and Odeon out on Clarence Place / Corpa Road. When the new multiplex Virgin Cinema (which became UGC, now Cineworld) opened out at Spytty Park in the mid-late 90s, that was the death knell for the Cannon/ABC cinema; last film I saw there out of choice was Vertical Limit.
Interestingly when Cannon/Scene 1&2 closed, the local rag the Argus chose not to update its cinema listings codes. (Film listings had a series of letters next to their entries to denote which cinemas in the local area were showing the film, so you'd have FILM ABCEFH) so where A used to represent that cinema, it was simply left off future listings. H was added on as the Virgin.
Scene today : https://goo.gl/maps/GG1xpcVmgep
Perhaps this should be split into a Cinema Memories thread? Thinking about it, how this forum has gone without one for so long is anyone's business.
Nottingham was an ABC, then Cannon, then ABC again too.
First cinema I ever visited, to see Casper. My main memories are my Dad telling me how poor the sound quality was and how empty the place was. When we got home my Dad realised it was supposed to be my first day of Infant School, whoops.
Vaguely related - one of my favourite things about Blackpool is the tram which parades up and down the promenade during the Illuminations with "ABC WEEKEND TELEVISION" lit up along the side of it. Such a lovely anachronism.
First cinema I ever visited, to see Casper. My main memories are my Dad telling me how poor the sound quality was and how empty the place was. When we got home my Dad realised it was supposed to be my first day of Infant School, whoops.
Vaguely related - one of my favourite things about Blackpool is the tram which parades up and down the promenade during the Illuminations with "ABC WEEKEND TELEVISION" lit up along the side of it. Such a lovely anachronism.