Playing Bingo Home > History And Folklore >

Bingo Hall History - The York Clifton - Part 1

Cinema architecture fan and photographer Ian Grundy turns his attention to the Clifton Bingo Club in York, to give us an in depth look at its changes in use and special features.

Author: Ian Grundy

An Elegant And Restrained Cinema

Page 1 | Page 2

The final addition of the Golden Movie Age to be built in York was the Clifton Cinema. It was built for Mr J Predergast and Mr Mawson, and was built to the designs of Frederick Dyer. It is a very elegant and restrained building, with echoes of Georgian style, highly suited to the genteel suburb of Clifton. The same team were also responsible for the Rialto Cinema on the other side of the city. That was a much larger theatre which also became a bingo hall (finally under the control of Mecca), but the Rialto has been demolished and replaced with purpose built facilities for bingo.

The exterior of York's Clifton Bingo

The Clifton opened on 17th November 1937 with the film “Edge of the World” starring John Laurie, Finlay Currie and Campbell Robson, directed by Michael Powell. It seated 1,150 in the stalls and balcony. Despite the relatively small size of the cinema it was equipped with a 2 manual Compton organ which was first played in 1938 and was removed in the early 1960’s. Ticket prices ranged from 7d to 1/10d (3p to 9p), considerably cheaper than the city centre Tower Cinema which charged 1/- to 3/- (5p to 15p) but a cut above the Regent Cinema Acomb who charged a very modest 6d to 1/- (2-½p to 5p). How times change!

The old cinema stage and book sales area

Like all cinemas and places of public entertainment, the outbreak of war on the 3rd September 1939 resulted in immediate closure, but 6 days later this emergency order was lifted as the authorities recognised that maintaining morale was vital. Opening times were restricted to the hours between 2:00pm and 10:00pm, they were required to be completely blacked out when required and evacuation procedures had to be organised. Because of their solid steel and concrete construction many of the super-cinemas, like the Clifton, were considered a safe place to be in the event of an air-raid!

Glass doors at York's Clifton Bingo

The war years proved to be an especially busy time for many cinemas, and the Clifton was no exception. In the absence of television the newsreels shown at cinemas were the only opportunity for people to see events unfolding, - albeit a few days later. The reels of film were often shared between a number of cinemas and ferried around the town by a bicycle courier to be shown at each venue.

The bar area of York's Clifton Bingo

In the 1950’s the Clifton was equipped for Cinemascope, this was achieved without major structural alteration, but in a time of declining audiences nationwide, the writing was on the wall! The Clifton, survived longer than many of York’s cinemas but on 17th October 1964 the final film, “Valley of the Eagle” was screened. Still under the control of Mr J Prendergast, now MBE, the Clifton had served film-goers well over its twenty-seven years of operation.

Inside York's Clifton Bingo

Part 2: Family Run Bingo Club >>

Bingo Hall History - The York Clifton - Part 1

An Elegant And Restrained Cinema

Related Links And Resources