Electric Palace Cinema, Harwich

The Electric Palace Cinema, in Harwich, Essex, England, is one of the oldest purpose built cinemas in the UK that survives in its original form. It was designed by architect Harold Ridley Hooper of Ipswich and opened on 29 November 1911.

The cinema closed in 1956 after being damaged in the 1953 East Coast floods, but re-opened in 1981, retaining the original screen, projection room and frontage as well as much of the original interior. It is now a community cinema. Until 2006, when a Wednesday screening programme was introduced, films were shown at weekends only. The building also hosts regular jazz concerts.

The cinema is a Grade II* listed building and is currently on the Buildings At Risk Register [ [http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConBar.5212 : English Heritage : English Heritage ] ] maintained by English Heritage.

In November 2006, actor Clive Owen became patron of the cinema and launched an appeal for funds to repair deteriorating elements of the fabric.

External links

* [http://www.electricpalace.com/ Official website]

References