The Granada Cinema, Castle Street, February 1956.
Dover’s first large modern cinema, the Granada, opened
on 8 January 1930 in Castle
Street. The publicity said that it could seat
2,000, although the true figure was around 1,700.
The interiors were designed by the Russian born designer
Theodore Komisarjevsky, who went on to design many
other cinemas in the Granada chain. The foyer was
in a French eighteenth century style with a marble
staircase, chandelier, and Venetian mirrors, while
the auditorium was had a Spanish-Moorish theme.
As well as films the programmes included
variety acts and the stage was provided with curtains,
footlights, dimmers and a modern stage lighting switchboard.
The was also an organ on a lift placed in the centre
of the orchestra pit.
The Granada was bought by the ABC
cinema chain in 1935 and continued to flourish. In
1960 it was renamed the ABC but many old Dovorians
always referred to it as the Granada. Also in 1960
the organ was removed and later sold to a cinema organ
enthusiast.
Audiences began to decline steadily
as more and more people stayed at home to watch television.
In 1971, with the closure of the Odeon,
it became Dover’s last remaining cinema (the Gaumont
and Essoldo both having closed in 1960). In spite
of its now unique position, audiences continued to
decline. In the early 1970s the circle was closed
leaving just 610 seats in the stalls to cater for
the remaining customers. The cinema eventually ceased
to be economically viable and closed on 30 October
1982. The building still stands, having been converted
into a night club.
Three pictures of the interior
of the new Granada, taken from the Official Dover
Guide of 1930:
