Elite Building

The Elite Picture Theatre (also referred to as the Elite Building) was a cinema in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. It was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by the London firm Adamson & Kinns, using a 250-ton steel frame, concrete floors and an expensive white Hathernware tiling facade manufactured by the Hathern Station Brick & Terra Cotta Company, with statues on the upper portion. The interior was decorated by Fred A. Foster and included a concert organ by Willis-Lewis, a ballroom, a restaurant, a tea room and a Louis XVI style cafe; marble terrazzo work, steps and flooring were provided by the Marble Mosaic Company of Bristol. The cinema opened for business on 22 August 1922, with a luncheon hosted by Mr. T. Shipstone, chairman of the directors of the theatre, attended by the Mayor of Nottingham, Alderman Herbert Bowles, and the Sheriff John H. Freckingham. A private showing of Mary Pickford in Pollyanna was held, and the theatre opened to the public later that day; the first programme included Pollyanna and the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (The Beryl Coronet). The cinema opened with a large pipe organ built either side of the screen at a cost of £10,000 (equivalent to £423,200 in 2025), designed by Major F.J. Bullen of London and erected by Willis and Lewis of Brixton. The first musical director was Franklyn Glynn of Wolverhampton. This organ was retained until 1929, when it was removed and transferred to Brangwyn Hall in Swansea. It was replaced in 1930 when the cinema was upgraded from silent to talking films; the new instrument was built by John Compton and was intended to be played whenever a silent film was shown and to connect up other features of the programme. After the cinema closed in 1977 it operated as a bingo hall for around 15 years. It is now a Grade II* listed building and serves as a space for retail and office use.

The Elite Picture Theatre was designed by the London firm of Adamson & Kinns in the Beaux-Arts style. Construction used 250 tons of steel frame, concrete floors and an expensive white Hathernware tiling facade manufactured by the Hathern Station Brick & Terra Cotta Company, surmounted by statues on the upper portion. The interior was decorated by Fred A. Foster, and the fittings included a concert organ by Willis-Lewis, a ballroom, a restaurant, a tea room and a Louis XVI style cafe. The marble terrazzo work, steps and flooring were provided by the Marble Mosaic Company of Bristol. It opened for business on 22 August 1922, with a luncheon hosted by Mr. T. Shipstone, chairman of the directors of the theatre, with the Mayor of Nottingham, Alderman Herbert Bowles, and the Sheriff John H. Freckingham in attendance. There was then a private showing of Mary Pickford in Pollyanna, and the theatre was opened to the public later that day. The first programme included Pollyanna and the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (The Beryl Coronet). The cinema opened with a large pipe organ built either side of the screen at a cost of £10,000 (equivalent to £423,200 in 2025). It was designed by Major F.J. Bullen of London and erected by Willis and Lewis of Brixton. The first musical director was Franklyn Glynn of Wolverhampton. This organ was retained until 1929 when it was removed and transferred to Brangwyn Hall in Swansea. The organ was replaced in 1930 when the cinema was upgraded from silent to talking films and a new instrument was opened. It was built by the firm of John Compton. It was intended to be played whenever a silent film was shown and to connect up other features of the programme. After the cinema closed in 1977 it operated as a bingo hall for around 15 years. It is now a Grade II* listed building and serves as a space for retail and office use.

• 1977

  Cinema closed.

• 1930

  Cinema upgraded from silent to talking films; a new John Compton organ was opened.

• 1929

  The original Willis-Lewis pipe organ was removed and transferred to Brangwyn Hall in Swansea.

• 1922

  Opened for business on 22 August 1922 with a luncheon and a private showing of Mary Pickford in Pollyanna.

• Operated as a bingo hall for around 15 years after closing as a cinema.

• Now a Grade II* listed building serving as retail and office space.

Historic Grade II* listed former cinema and entertainment venue in Nottingham, now repurposed for retail and office use.

• Cinema screenings

  First programme included Pollyanna and the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (The Beryl Coronet).

• Bingo hall

  Operated as a bingo hall for around 15 years after the cinema closed in 1977.

• Retail and office space

  Current use of the Grade II* listed building.

1. 1Elite Building - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Elite Picture Theatre, Nottingham - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org