Unlike the former Alpha, the Capitol was built long-ways to London Road and access was at balcony level with stalls on the level below. In this incarnation the seating capacity was enlarged to 452 seats in the balcony and 1168 in the stalls. Underneath there were dressing rooms, a deep stage, a formal restaurant, and a Compton organ. The Regent rose from the ashes as the Capitol cinema on London Road and was based on a series of plans for a new cinema designed in 1928. The Capitol opened for business on 3 December 1931. By the 1990s, cinema chains had shifted their focus to large, out-of-town multiplexes and divested themselves of smaller town cinemas. With the opening of the new cinema complex at Jarman Park in Hemel Hempstead in 1995, Rank decided to close the St Albans Odeon. Despite the efforts of a local campaign to save the cinema, it closed to the public on 20 August 1995. The last film screened was Waterworld. After closure, the building was stripped of its fixtures and fittings. [1] [8] Re-opening [ edit ] Nicholas, Blatchey. "Arthur Melbourne Cooper, Film Pioneer and Cinema Builder". Herts Memories . Retrieved 5 July 2015.

Eyles, Allen; Skone, Keith (2002). Cinemas of Hertfordshire. Univ of Hertfordshire Press. p.98. ISBN 9780954218904 . Retrieved 23 March 2018. In 1934, a further refurb raised the seating capacity to a massive 1,728. Three years later in April 1937, the D.J. James circuit was bought by Eastern Cinemas, part of the General Cinema Finance (GCF) group. Cooper wanted to establish a film theatre to present his productions to the paying public, and acquired a public hall building on London Road that had originally been designed for a social institute in 1903 by the local architect Percival Blow (1873–1939). On 27 July 1908, Cooper opened the Alpha Picture House, Hertfordshire's first permanent cinema. The building was fitted out with a restaurant, swimming pool and hairdressing salon as well as the 800 seat cinema. [3] The cinema failed inspection following the passing of the 1910 Cinematograph Act and was sold through liquidation to George Arthur Dawson the following year. The cinema continued to run as the Poly until 1926 and was destroyed by fire the following year. [4] [5] Cineworld Belfast will also feature the multi-projection cinema technology, ScreenX, using extra footage to expand the traditional cinema screen out onto the side auditorium walls, creating a 270-degree viewing experience that will surround you in your seat. The innovative technology uses an array of projectors with proprietary ScreenX software, blending multiple images into one seamless picture. ScreenX walls are installed with a fabric to ensure brightness and colour closely match the content on the main screen and extend the length of the auditorium. Strategically placed audio systems and speakers ensure that sound does not compromise the immersive viewing experience. Our large single screen has 426 seats in total: 216 in the balcony and 210 in the downstairs seating area.

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On 30 October 1963, The Rolling Stones along with The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley, Little Richard and Julie Grant appeared at the cinema. [7] With stimulating effects like water, wind, scent and strobe lighting that are timed to enhance what’s happening on screen, you’ll be truly thrilled in your seat. And speaking of your seat – it moves. The high-tech motion programming means it moves in time with the film’s action, and along with vibrations and shaking, you’ll feel like you’re part of the car chase; standing in the eye of the storm or steering the boat right into a tidal wave. Fun on your own, better with friends – 4DX is Cineworld’s most exhilarating way to watch a film. Exclusive to Cineworld in the UK and Ireland and rapidly expanding since its launch in 2015, 4DX adds extreme sensory thrills to your cinema experience.

Cinema of the People – Now Showing Near You" (PDF). St Albans Civic Society Newsletter. Spring 2015 . Retrieved 23 March 2018. Only available at Cineworld, 4DX offers customers the opportunity to experience the latest movies with high-tech motion seats, engineered to work in perfect synchronicity with the action on screen. Read More Related Articles Reluctant to lose the building to developers and falling for the comfort and style of The Rex, James Hannaway was the perfect local connection to revive the building. In 1911, Cooper sold his studios and the London Road cinema. It changed hands several times, taking on different names. In 1918, it became the Poly Picture Palace. In 1923, the cinema underwent another refurbishment by Percival Blow, which involved the installation of a balcony with boxes and a cinema organ, and a dance hall and workshop in the basement. From 1926 it was known as The Regent Picture House. [1]Gene Kelly’s classic musical, Singin’ in the Rain continues to mesmerise audiences – follow us on this whimsical journey into the dazzling spectacle of Hollywood’s Golden Age. In 1932, the Capitol was sold again, this time to the D.J. James Cinema Circuit, and in 1934 the cinema underwent a major extension and refurbishment by the architect firm Kemp & Tasker, expanding the seating capacity to 1,728. The cinema changed hands again in 1937, when D.J. James was bought by Eastern Cinemas, part of the General Cinema Finance (GCF) group, and in 1943, GCF was in turn taken over by the Rank Organisation, who rebranded the Capitol under their Odeon Cinema Circuit name on 1 January 1945. [1] [6] They offer Step-Free Access from our Lower Paxton Road entrance – please ring the doorbell and a member of staff will be with you as soon as possible, and we have an Induction Hearing Loop fitted to our speakers in the DOWNSTAIRS seating area. Please inform them when making a booking.