Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Ritz / ABC Turnpike Lane
Just outside Harringay, but so close it doesn't matter. This cinema was built next to Turnpike Lane tube.
By the time I knew it in the late 80s it was the kind of cinema where your feet stuck to the floor.
It was demolished when the bus station was enlarged early this century.
Click on "View Full Size" and click again to enlarge.
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Comment by StephenBln on April 25, 2008 at 16:00
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The Ritz, Turnpike Parade
Architect, W. J. King. Telephone BOWes Park 2519
Seating Capacity 1,850 (1,271 stalls, 579 Circle)
Opened: 30 December 1935
Became the ABC ??
Tripled: 29 September 1977
The Ritz was the "poshest" of all Harringay's cinemas, I don't remember much about it, apart from the fact that I saw the film Zulu there in the middle 1960s. I do remember the rounded staircase up to the circle, which had photos of the "stars of the day" on its walls.
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Comment by Liz on April 25, 2008 at 16:17
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I went here in its dying days. My friends liked it because you could smoke in it. There seemed to be only one member of staff, a burly chap who sold tickets, then dashed to the other side of the foyer and sold you ice cream as well as chucking out unruly types. It was a little like a cinema in a sitcom. I went to see 'star wars' when it came out again one evening and the manager put up the house lights and started cleaning...10 minutes before the end of the movie!
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Comment by matt on April 25, 2008 at 17:15
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I when there a couple-o-times 94/95. Yes unbelievably you could smoke in there. It was unfortunately run down.
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Comment by Hugh on April 25, 2008 at 21:23
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More on the Ritz:
The Ritz Cinema was one of several cinemas (usually named Ritz) that were designed by Major W.J. King. It opened on 30th December 1935 with Clark Gable in "China Seas" and Ricardo Cortez in "Sing Me A Love Song" and was built for and operated by Associated British Cinemas(ABC).
The cinema was part of a scheme included in the new Turnpike Lane tube station and bus station, designed by London Transport's architect Charles Holden. Seating in the Ritz Cinema was provided for 1,271 in the stalls and 579 in the circle. The Ritz was equipped with a stage, which was only occassionally used, and a cafe that was located over the entrance foyer, which operated until the 1950's.
It was re-named ABC from 9th October 1961 and was eqiupped with a Todd-AO size screen and 70mm projection equipment. was closed on 11th June 1977 for conversion into a triple screen cinema. ABC 1,2,3 opened
on 29th September 1977 with 625 seats in the former circle (extended slighty forward) and 417 & 316 seating in the two screen in the former stalls. In 1986 it was renamed Cannon when the Cannon Group took control of ABC/EMI.
From 17th July 1988 it was taken over by the independent Coronet Cinemas chain and was re-named Coronet Cinema.
The land was owned by London Transport and they needed to demolish the 1930's bus station and build a new one. The Coronet cinema was closed on 25th March 1999 with "Patch Adams", "This Year's Love" and "Urban Legend". It was demolished in August 1999.
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Comment by Les e39 on January 19, 2009 at 17:31
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Oh How i remember the Ritz Saturday morning pictures always full to the rafters .and then in the 60's sunday afternoons (still remember the laughs we used to have tormenting the guys who tried to keep us in order )
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And who remembers the Regal Cinema at the end of Duckett Common .The Regal was the poor cousin of the Ritz
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Who remembers this song from Sat morning pictures at the Ritz
We are the boys and girls we,re known as, minors of the ABC, and every saturday we line up to see the films we like and shout out loud with glee. We like to laugh and have a sing song, just a happy band are we. We,re all pals together we,re minors of the ABC .
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Comment by Flower on July 17, 2009 at 6:01
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I do!! Thank you for filling in the gaps in my memory ... I could only get as far as "shouting aloud with glee"! I was there in the late 40s and always ended up with a headache through coming out into bright sunlight. But that didn't deter me from going every Saturday.
The last time I visited the Ritz would have been in 1986 when I was back in London on holiday .. I just had to see Crocodile Dundee and was amazed to see it was still a smoking venue. I didn't object to this as, at the time, I still smoked, but what completely puzzled me was the fact that one side of the middle aisle was smoking and the other side not! Could it have made much difference I wonder?
Of course I also remember the Regal, although I didn't go there too often. There are photos on here showing how the building changed over time.
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One more thing. Does anyone remember what happened to the "Umbrella" which was outside Turnpike Lane Station? It was a round concrete structure and was used as the local 'meeting place' .. (see you under the Umbrella)
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Flower, do you mean this umbrella?
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