The Curzon Community Cinema, Clevedon: History

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History: 1955 - 1995

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.