At that cinema of dreams in Stockport waiting to watch the big film

Now I wish I had caught a film at the Plaza in Stockport, not so much for the film but for the experience of being in one of those sumptuous old fashioned picture palaces.

It opened as the Plaza Super Cinema and Variety Theatre in 1932 and for the next 30 or so years it showed all the great films of the day, including Stockport’s first 3D presentation in 1954 and in the following year the first Cinemascope show.

Like many picture houses it suffered from declining cinema numbers and in 1966 closed opening the year after as a Bingo Hall.

As such it lasted marginally longer but not much and closed in 1999.

And here it could have been the victim of commercial redevelopment but instead was bought by the Stockport Plaza Trust as a venue for live shows and films.

I rather think Peter’s painting captures well this majestic building, but for anyone in love with cinemas of the period I suggest you go along and see for yourself and having got to Mersey Square, ask to go inside.

Since it was taken over there has been extensive restoration to what is now a listed building and what’s more there will often be a uniformed guide decked out just as he or she would have been in 1933.

Now that can’t be bad.

Painting; Plaza Stockport, 2015 © Peter Topping, Paintings from Pictures,
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