The Curzon Community Cinema is historically unique. It is the oldest continually running cinema in the world. It has been a part of Clevedon and entertained the community for most of the 20th century, and with the on going renovations hopes to continue to beat its record far into the next century.

Read a quick version of our history (Flash player required)

Clevedon had been a farming community until the Elton family of Clevedon Court saw the potential of developing the town as a small, select seaside resort in the early 1820's. New development spread to cover the Hill and formed an area of substantial middle-class housing. The old village along the bottom of the Hill grew to provide the town with domestic servants, larger shops and on April 20th 1912, its first cinema.

The Picture House opened with a special matinee to raise funds for the Lord Mayor of London Appeal for the survivors and relatives of those lost in the RMS Titanic disaster a few days previous. The cinema officially opened at 7:00 pm that evening with a full programme - admission: 3d, 6d and 1/-.

The original cinema was the brain-child of Victor Cox, a sculptor and monumental stonemason, and was built at what is the western end of the existing site. It seated 200 people, had mirrored double doors and hanging baskets.

The projector was gas illuminated but improvements followed during the next twelve months with the installation of tip-up seating and a music licence. In mid 1913 the building was enlarged to seat 389, a sliding roof was installed and electricity was connected (the first in a public building in Clevedon) without missing one night's show. The roof would be opened to ventilate the place the during the interval in the show, they also "squirted disinfectant about during the performance in efforts to keep the atmosphere wholesome". In 1916 motorised projectors were installed.

In 1919 Albert Type's mews at the eastern end of the site, formerly used for horse drawn cabs, came on the market. Mr Cox promptly seized the opportunity of acquiring the site to horizontally extend and rebuild his prosperous cinema.

The new cinema was built between March 6th 1920 and June 12th 1922. The ornamental stonework came from Mr Cox's own yard in Old Church Road, and the bricks and tiles from Sidney Keen's brick yard in Strode Road. During the whole period of rebuilding and changeover the nightly programme was never cancelled.

It was to have a row of lock-up shops along the front and a cafe for the convenience of patrons after the show. It was also to be provided with facilities for stage shows, having a dressing room block at Stage Left, with connecting door, fly gallery and grid, as well as boxes and a balcony.

It is understood that in 1927 a sound on disc system was introduced for the screening of shorts, but no 'talkie' feature films were shown at the Curzon until 1930 when two Zeis Ikon projectors, with Zeis Arc lamps were installed utilising the Western Electric Sound on film (optical sound). The Zeis Icon projectors also were fitted with Vitaphone sound-on-disk units at the rear of each projector. Whether they were ever used is obscure but likely though 'Grand Parade' was Photophone.

The organ in the actors left front box was fitted on opening of the new Picture House and removed by Cox in 1929, presumably just prior to installing sound. Whether Percy Daniels, a local organ builder, was responsible or not remains obscure because the organ is thought to have been a Casson, although research still cannot confirm this.

The cafe on the first floor was to be known as the 'Oak Room Cafe'. It had its own entrance, as well as access from the cinema. The appropriate lettering remains on the gable at the eastern end of the building, as does all the original oak panelling on the walls and ceiling of the cafe.

The large, semi-circular stained glass window to the cafe foyer, which was furnished with armchairs and a piano, was shattered by the second world war bomb that fell at the bottom of Hillside Road, fracturing a gas main. It was this bomb which pitted the stonework at the west end on the north-side of the cinema and can still be seen today. An East Lancs Infantry serviceman, who was standing at the entrance to the cinema when the bomb fell, was the only fatality in Clevedon as the direct result of enemy action.

The cinema changed hands on 11th of June 1945 when Maxwell Corn purchased the site, and on 5th August 1946 the name was changed to the MAXIME. There were some changes made, the main one being the removal of the projection box from the stalls to the rear of the balcony. The cinema had two box-offices, one at the eastern end where the lower price tickets were issued, the other at the western end for higher price tickets and the balcony seats. This office also had a sweet shop so that patrons while buying their tickets could provide themselves with goodies to munch during the show. Throughout the show an usherette came along at intervals with tray and torch.

Before the 'talkies' came in, the musical background to silent films was provided by a number of pianists. Later, the organist from nearby St. John's Church became cinema organist. Mr Cox's stepmother, Blanche Harwood, was a professional singer and sometimes, when some special film was being screened, she would go on stage and open the proceedings with a rendition.

Many of the original Art Deco features of The Picture House have been 'protected' and remain virtually intact. The auditorium walls, proscenium arch and ceiling are covered in moulded, tin plates of various dimensions. These panels remain intact to this day, having been covered (and protected for the most part) with side curtains, or above the suspended, false ceiling which extends from rear of the stalls to the proscenium. The reason for using these metal panels (which were very popular in America in the early 1900's) may well have been the desire for 'instant' decoration, in order not to disrupt the business of the first cinema 'underneath', as they would have been constructed off-the-premises.

The Maxime was sold to the Cleve Cinema Company of Cardiff, and re-opened on the 30 April 1956 under its new name, The Curzon. Probably as late as 1972, the box fronts, along with the organ, were removed and the openings 'bricked-up', the balcony was closed, the suspended false ceiling installed, and the projection room returned to its original position at the rear of the stalls. The last film to be shown from the 'upper' projection box was 'Cabaret' (1972, 123mins) with the British short 'A Man on the Beach' (1956, 29mins). The box-office at the east-end of the building was closed and converted to a small retail unit, the west-end box-office area being rearranged and divided such that half the area was converted to another of the retail units.

Until Jon Webber and his group took over the running of the cinema in November 1996 the cinema had been run for the past thirty years by Mr Ken Eagles and his wife, Janet, she as manager, he as projectionist. Between them they looked after the advertising, cleaning and maintenance of the building. Clevedon has never had any other cinema or theatre, and the venue operated at a small profit (accepting that most of the Eagles' work was for love, as they were both 'officially' retired).

The news in the summer of 1995, that the cinema had been taken into Administrative Receivership, caused major concerns in the town and in the surrounding parishes about its continued operation and future. The Receivers called for bids, within six weeks, in respect of the business and assets.

A campaign was started to Save the Curzon, based upon the enthusiasm and experience of local resident Jon Webber, a consultant in community economic and social development. He had previously established The RIO Cinema (Dalston), as a community centre for the arts and entertainment. In 1978, as a Community Development worker in Hackney, east London, he successfully led a campaign to purchase the RIO cinema and to operate it as a community business. Mr Webber was responsible for putting together a business plan which led to the successful acquisition and operation of the RIO.

As a community business The Curzon - Clevedon Community Centre for the Arts is formally established as a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity. Its trading arm, The Curzon Community Cinema Ltd, is a not-for-profit organisation, any surpluses generated being reinvested in the theatre and its activities or directed to the support other community activities in the area.

Plans for The Curzon are to fully renovate and refurbish the building; to build a 'second-screen' studio theatre on the site; to operate a programme of activities and events that cater for the cultural and social needs of the local community and to provide a range of facilities that seek to satisfy the requirements of local groups and organisations involved in the arts and entertainment.. The project commenced with the purchase of the building, on the acquisition of the necessary funds we will continue with the essential structural and roof repairs; a complete refurbishment of the theatre, providing full accessibility throughout including reopening the circle; an improved sound system, (including induction loop and infra red systems for the hearing impaired); new lighting, heating and ventilation systems; refurbishment of Oak Room Café and general improvements to the exterior of the building (retaining the shrapnel damage for posterity).

Local people are involved in all aspects of the centre's operation, either in their role as the Management body, as volunteer helpers in its running operation; or as users. The programming of events at the centre is tailored to meet the expressed demands of local people, while at the same time seeking to be highly professional in its approach to providing quality events and programmes.

Local schools, clubs and organisations will benefit from a first class theatre, having a maximum, 500 seat auditorium, plus studio and workshop facilities. Already expressing an interest in using the new facilities is Clevedon Community Radio (Curzon FM), local schools, and local drama, youth and music groups. The Community Radio, Audio/Slide and Film/Video workshops for young and old alike, have received support from local colleges who can provide their accreditation. The cinema is part of the EC's Media Salles EuroKids Network.

The proposal is to bring the building up to a very high standard both technically and in its comfort and accessibility. Its refurbishment will be extensive and comprehensive, providing a high quality, accessible auditorium for patrons and performers, and a unique facility for public assembly, arts and entertainment in the Clevedon and north North Somerset area. The refurbishment of exhibition and performance facilities is key to the project's financial viability and the comfort and enjoyment of patrons.

Our aim is to preserve and repair the original, outstanding Art Deco features whilst always striving to produce a thoroughly modern, exciting and complete facility for everyone in the local community.