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Hertfordshire HER
.
| HHER Number: | 11466 |
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| Type of record: | Building |
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| Name: | REX CINEMA, HIGH STREET, BERKHAMSTED |
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Summary
Unusual 1938 cinema by David Nye
Monument Types
- CINEMA (1938, Twentieth Century - 1901 AD to 2000 AD)
Associated Events
- Building recording of the Rex Cinema, 91-101 High Street, Berkhamsted, 2001-2
Protected Status
- Listed Building (II) 1/78
- Area of Archaeological Significance
Full description
The Rex Cinema opened in May 1938, at the height of the cinema building boom, with a seating capacity of 1100. It was built by the entertainment circuit Shipman and King, who already owned the Court Cinema in Berkhamsted. The architect, David E. Nye, designed several cinemas and the Rex is considered to be one of his 'best and most effective auditorium schemes'. The interior decoration, possibly designed by Nye, was carried out by Mollo and Egan, and the souvenir programme from the opening night (9 May 1938) provides information about the construction of the cinema, and the fittings, specialist equipment and materials employed.
The Rex operated successfully for over 30 years but in 1973 was sold to the Star Group, who used the venue for both cinema and bingo. In 1976 it was sold to Zetters, who created two small cinema screens, and used the stalls area for bingo. The work led to major alterations, including the the insertion of a steel framework to enable the division of the balcony seating into two cinemas. The building closed in 1988 and remained unused until 2001, when it was recorded before its extension, refurbishment and upgrading for renewed use as a cinema.
While the structure and materials of the building were standard for the time, its footprint was more unusual, resulting in an auditorium with greater seating capacity in the balcony than the stalls. Circulation through the building therefore also differed from the norm. The most significant element is the interior decoration, which has survived well, and was one of David Nye's better interior schemes <1>.
<1> Upson, Anne, 2001, An historic building record of the Rex Cinema, Berkhamsted, Herts, RNO 966 (Report). SHT2967.
Sources and further reading
| <1> | Report: Upson, Anne. 2001. An historic building record of the Rex Cinema, Berkhamsted, Herts. building recording. RNO 966. |
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