The Scala Cinema – Abertillery

The Scala Cinema.
On Monday 25th of March 1974, the Scala Cinema on High Street, Abertillery (as seen in the main featured image above and left) was opened in the old library building that was once the National Church of England School.

The proprietor and manager of the Scala Cinema was Mr D. L. Thomas, Mr Steve Reynolds was deputy manager. Mr Thomas was also the owner of the Granada Cinema at Ebbw Vale. The Abertillery Council backed the cinema with a grant of £3,000 over three years.

The First Feature Film.
The first feature film to be shown at the Scala Cinema was “Enter The Dragon” starring Bruce Lee, the supporting film was “Cleopatra Jones”.

The Exorcist Feature Film.
In the summer of 1974 the horror film The Exorcist was to be screened at local cinemas. Worried councillors, in fear that it may breach the 1952 Cinematograph Act, that it may contain matter that would offend against good taste or decency arranged a private screening of the film to gauge its content and vote for a possible ban.

On Friday 2nd of August 1974, the Gwent Gazette reported, that after the hurried private viewing 19 councillors voted for it to be shown, while 15 said no. The councillors against the film described it as vile, degrading and shocking. Those who voted for it did so either because it was not worth banning or because they felt they could not act as censors for local adults, as the film did have an X rated certificate.

The Christian Involvement.
The church pressed the Blaenau Gwent District Council to ban The Exorcist from being shown at local cinemas, though upon hearing the council’s decision not to ban the film they responded by providing teams of Christian ministers and laymen to patrol the various picture houses and hand out leaflets warning people about the film before they pay at the box-office or to provide a counselling service for those leaving the cinema who might need help or comfort.

On the 9th of August 1974, the Gwent Gazette reported – The end of the showing of The Exorcist at Abertillery’s Scala Cinema was marked by a special ceremony. Copies of “The Living Bible” were presented to Mr Lyn Thomas and Mr Steve Reynolds, manager and deputy manager of the cinema, by Rev David Groves and Rev Cyril Jones on behalf of the Christian group of all denominations who had patrolled the Scala Cinema during the films run.

The Notice of Closure.
In February 1977, the owner Mr D. L. Thomas issued a notice that the Scala Cinema, Abertillery, was to close.

The Scala Cinema for Sale or to Let.
In April 1977 the Gwent Gazette advertised the Scala Cinema as for sale or to let. The sales sheet stated the cinema had a 180′ foot frontage on the main road, was 2,600 square feet with a headroom of 17′ feet. It also had toilets, offices and gas central heating. It was later reported as having good attendances but was being sold because of rising costs.

A Discotheque and Youth Centre.
In June 1977, Mr David F. Rock of 175 Alma Street applied for planning permission in regard to a discotheque that he wanted to open in the lower floor of the Scala Cinema building. The application was through the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 Notice Under Section 26 (2). Another newspaper edition stated that a youth club was also planned in the building.

The Closure of the Scala Cinema.
In August 1977 the Scala Cinema, High Street, Abertillery closed. The Gwent Gazette reported that its owner Mr Thomas had asked Blaenau Gwent Council for a £2,500 a year grant to help the burden of rising rates, electricity and film hire but the Leisure Committee had turned down his request. It was also stated that if the council did offer a grant, or to help with costs to keep the place open, they may well have to provide a cinema at Abertillery in some form or other in the future.

In November 1977, the Gwent Gazette reported on a new cinema at the Metropole to be opened by the Blaenau Gwent Borough Council. Abertillery’s only cinema, the privately owned Scala had closed in August, the owner Mr Thomas had repeatedly asked the borough Leisure Committee to help him keep it open with a grant or to take it over. He offered the building and equipment for sale or to lease at £1,500 per year. The committee turned it down and decided on the Metropole scheme. 

The Demolition of the Scala Cinema.
The Scala Cinema closed in August 1977 and was later demolished along with the Globe Hotel just a little further south in preparation for the new one-way street traffic system through town which was completed in about 1983. The main bus stops for Abertillery now occupies its site.

The photograph in the main image was kindly lent courtesy of Mr Roy Hunt of Six Bells, Abertillery. Copyright Roy Hunt.

The photograph of the Scala Cinema within the story and information is taken from the Gwent Gazette.

The National Church of England School Building.
As mentioned, the Scala Cinema was opened in the old Church of England School, later the town library on High Street, Abertillery. Following is a Link to – The History of the Church School and Library.

 

The Metropole Cinema.
On Thursday 3rd of November 1977, the Gwent Gazette reported on the proposed cinema to open at the Metropole Theatre, Abertillery.

On Thursday 15th of November 1979, the Gwent Gazette reported the proposed cinema at the Metropole Theatre, Abertillery, gets the go-ahead. It stated the council plan to spend £15,000 on providing equipment and altering the building to provide a cinema that was to be controlled by the council. It would open 3 to 4 nights per week to show films that will be chosen by the manager of the Brynmawr Cinema, which is also owned by the council.

The Metropole Cinema Opening.
On 1st of January 1981, the Metropole Cinema opened. The first feature film to be shown at the cinema was “The Empire Strikes Back”. There were separate showings – 4.00pm and 7.00pm.

The History of Cinema at the Metropole Theatre.
There were some form of pictures shown at the Metropole Theatre, Abertillery, as early as 1913. At this time Kinemacolor Kinematograph film was screened. In November 1926 a cinema was installed at the Metropole Theatre, Abertillery, on Friday 12th of November 1926 the South Wales Gazette printed ads for the showing of the “Merry Wives of Gotham” and “Coast Patrol”. It screened two big films each evening from Monday to Friday.

The cinema at the Metropole had to compete with four other such picture houses in the town and with a decaying building found it hard to carry on showing pictures there, after 1930 there was no other mention of it as a picture house.

(More information on the Metropole Cinema to come).