Embassy Cinema

Photo:Plenty of room in the Front Stalls!

Plenty of room in the Front Stalls!

Photo by Peter Groves

Photo:The old flint wall of the Embassy Cinema.

The old flint wall of the Embassy Cinema.

Photo by Peter Groves

Demolition in July 2007
By Peter Groves

It's a shame, but inevitable, to see the demolition of the old Embassy Cinema underway.  Times have changed so much since the heyday of cinema, when Brighton and Hove had an unprecedented number, with television in the 1960's bringing the gradual closure of the vast majority.

Embassy opened c1912
The Embassy on the corner of Western Road and Little Western Street opened around 1912 as the Hove Cinematograph Theatre, the auditorium being on the rear of commercial premises, which had frontage onto Western Road.  It changed ownership a number of times, in 1922 was owned by George Beyfus who also owned the Queen's Electric Bioscope (Curzon) close by on the opposite side of Western Road, he changed the name to the Tivoli.  Ownership changed again in 1948 and it was renamed the Embassy.

Cinema going memories
I remember seeing some great films at the Embassy in the 1960's. Sink the Bismarck (1960) with Kenneth More, the true story of the chase across the North Atlantic to sink the German battleship before it could sink our convoys.  The end of WWII being barely twenty years before, it brought home the reality of war to 3 young lads sitting at the very front of the stalls eating chicken paste sandwiches!  We all had tears in our eyes and revenge in our hearts when the Bismarck sunk HMS Hood!

Favourite films
On the Beat (1962) with Norman Wisdom, the police chase was so funny, with Pitkin being chased, seemingly by the whole of the Metropolitan Police force, fence hopping over back gardens to get away, with the whole audience on his side.  Robin and the Seven Hoods (1964) was the third of the 3 films that I definitely remember seeing at the Embassy.  The legend of Robin Hood is transposed to 1930's gangland Chicago with the famous "Rat Pack," it was the last of their movies.  My favourite scene is the opening night of the new gambling and drinking club.  As the sheriff and his baddies arrive to raid the club, a switch is flicked and the scenery changes into a spiritual meeting, with singing about the dangers of alcohol, much to the shock of the baddies.

Continuous viewings
The Embassy was not one of the main cinemas of the town; the films shown were re-runs after they had previously been shown at the town's main cinemas.  The programme ran continuously so it was possible to see the film over and over again.  The cost to get in was approximately 1/-, (5p) which was about the same as a swim at the King Alfred, our other favourite activity on a Saturday afternoon.  I probably saw other films at the Embassy, however these 3 stick in my mind, quality films!

Closed as a cinema in 1981
The natural slope of Little Western Street gave the stalls the perfect gradient, which can be seen in the photos.  The 'silver screen' once adorned the old flint wall and brought to life all the film stars of the 20th Century! The Embassy closed in 1981 and was used for other commercial activities until July 2007 when the auditorium at the rear was demolished.

This page was added on 22/07/2007.

Comments about this page

Sad to see the old Embassy being pulled down. I lived in Waterloo Street and often went to this cinema as it was near and cheap. A bit of a flea pit though. I don't live in Brighton anymore but visit a few times a year. On my last visit they had just started demolition of the Embassy and the demo guys were having a lunch break and very kindly let me in for a look round. Unfortunately I did not have a camera which was a shame as I would have liked a few pics of the interior, but the good news is the main front of the building is being retained although in a slightly altered form.

By Dennis Fielder (02/08/2007)

What a shame...what is it going to be now?

By Melanie (16/08/2007)

They are erecting 6 houses on the Auditorium space, and the front part will be flats with a shop on the ground floor.

By Dennis Fielder (01/09/2007)

I have very fond memories of the Embassy Cinema. My late mother used to take me quite often to that little cinema when I was in my teens. It was so cosy and had lots of beautiful photographs of the stars on the way in to the seating area. I can remember one day when one of my relations decided to join us by moving into our Hove flat on the seafront. Unfortunately he brought along with him all his DIY tools which took up the entire attic space. My mother said "Come on Jillian, lets get out of here" and we went to the Embassy Cinema and saw "All About Eve" with Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, and the great Thelma Ritter. On another occasion, water was coming through the roof next to me in the cinema and a bucket was hurriedly placed under the offending deluge. This did not interfere with my enjoyment of the films, they were a great escape from daily life. Its so sad to see the cinema gone now. Although I have "All About Eve" on DVD its not quite the same as sitting in the Embassy Cinema watching "Carmen Jones", "Fire Down Below" and many others.

By Jillian (05/05/2008)

Yes, I well rememeber the Embassy Cinema. Even though I spent most of my early life in Mile Oak, I often went to the Emabassy. My Father Robert Edwards ran Deacon's Garage (for my uncle Frank) at the bottom of Brunswick St East. I often went to this cinema - the Curzon too, which was a bit further down. I'm pretty sure I saw Ben Hur there and many other films I have now forgotten. Shame it's gone.

By Paul Edwards (04/08/2008)

I was born in Brighton and lived in Farman Street. When you went to the loo you could here the soundtrack! Shame it has gone.

By D. Evans (in New Zealand) (19/10/2008)

In about 1937, my Grandma would take me to the Curzon or the Tiv. She was short-sighted and we sat in the sixpenny seats, front row, and got a neck-ache!
In 1948 my boyfriend and I found we didn't have enough money to buy tickets at the Tiv so he went down the queue and sold some postage stamps, new ones not licked!

By June (29/04/2009)

I have fond memories of The Embassy. In the early 70s, my dad occasionally got rid of us for a few hours by dumping us into The Embassy cinema. In those days, you could spend the whole afternoon/ evening in this cinema and watch the films over again - remember there being two films at one showing. Most of the films were B movies, one of which has stayed in my mind. I think it was called 'When Dinosaurs Ruled The World' - hilarious film. I remember the foyer and remember the photos at the entrance of the cinema showing shots of the film on show. I also remember queuing down the side street (Little Western Street) waiting for the cinema to open.

By John Garoghan (24/06/2010)

My neighbour took her son and me to see 'Dunkirk' there in 1959.

By Tony Hagon (12/08/2011)

Add a comment about this page