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Movie magic
Cinemas transformed public entertainment. The first film show to come to Warrington was in October 1898 when a fair was held next to the Blue Coat School and there was a 'living picture show'.
| The early cinemas in Warrington were former theatres. The popularity of theatre entertainment declined with the arrival of the first Hollywood movies in the 1920s. Theatre managers had to turn their attention from the stage to the silver screen. |  |
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| Many people have fond memories of going to the pictures. This was a real community experience. People queued up to see a film when it first came out. |  |
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| The cinema has always attracted courting couples, and in some cinemas you could pay extra for a romantic double seat at the back. Children grew up on Saturday matinees. These young audiences were not quite as forgiving when the projector broke down, and tested the nerves of the cinema managers. | |
| Cinema audiences began declining in the 1950s when TV sets became affordable. It is hard to imagine today that the cinemas were once an important focus for entertainment in the town centre. |  |
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