Chillingham Road, Scala Electric Theatre

HER Number:
12891

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Chillingham Road, Scala Electric Theatre

Place:
Heaton

Map Sheet:
NZ26NE

Class:
Recreational

Site Type: Broad:
Cinema

Site Type: Specific:
Cinema

General Period:
20TH CENTURY

Specific Period:
Early 20th Century 1901 to 1932

Form of Evidence:
Demolished Building

Description:
Opened by Armstrong Electric Theatres Ltd on 10 March 1913. The architect was Percy L. Browne. The Scala had a spacious tiled entrance with marble staircases to the dress circle. There were 1200 seats which were upholstered in red plush. Reseating later reduced the capacity to 986. The organ was a 2-manual Vincent. Throughout the 1920s music was provided by the Scala Orchestra. In 1928 the General Theatres Corporation (later Gaumont-British) took over. Talkies arrived in 1930. In April 1936 Sol Sheckman (Essoldo circuit) took over the Scala. The cinema closed on 1 July 1961. It was demolished and replaced by a supermarket.

Easting:
427100

Northing:
566000

Grid Reference:
NZ427100566000

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Frank Manders, 1991, Cinemas of Newcastle, pages 159-160; Frank Manders, 2005, Cinemas of Newcastle, pages 33-35, 60, 66, 97, 150, 152, 161; Heaton History Group, http://heatonhistorygroup.org/tag/peoples-theatre/