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Lansdowne Cinema (Locarno Ballroom)
At the bottom of what was the old
"Moorfoot" corner of Boston
St and London Road
The Lansdowne Cinema opened in 1914 with seating for 1,250. It was blitzed in
a German air raid in 1940. In 1947 it was taken over by Marks and Spencer for
a short period before being bought by Mecca Ltd and beginning a new life as
the Locarno Ballroom in December 1954. In 1968 the Locarno closed for a complete
facelift and name change before reopening as a dance hall and discoteque called
Tiffany's. In later years the building was to have a number of various uses
and owners. Les Vickers (scrap metal king) bought it and renamed it the Locarno
once again. He sold it in 1985 to a company of local businessmen led by Kevan
Johnson. In 1988 it was taken over by Omnisound operating as 42nd Street. In
the early 1990s it again was renamed the Locarno for a short time before changing
to The Palais. Marred by drugs and gang violence it was closed down and reopened
as The Music Factory in 1994 closing in 1998 with debts of around £227,000.
Reopening as the Clubgeneration for a few months it again ran into financial
difficulties. It later was to be renamed yet again as Bed in early 2000 closing
in 2004. On August 30th 2005 the empty and semi demolished building caught fire
which left it in ruins except for the facade seen on the photo below.
