The Plaza Cinema, Port Talbot - 1950

The Plaza Cinema was a beacon to the residents of Port Talbot. Some of the audience even elevated to feature on the same screen they had watched. Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheen have all talked of the influence the Plaza had. Inspiring them to pursue acting careers.

The Cinema was built in 1939 with a maximum capacity of 1,700. It was due to open the same year, but development was arrested by the building materials embargo at the start of World War II. The cinema finally opened in April 1940, over Easter, with the Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney movie Babes in Arms.

The Plaza remained incomplete until 1950 when the tiling and windows were completed, and the Plaza sign was installed. Two statues on the pillars flanking the top windows were removed at the same time.

In the late 1950s, during the interval, when most cinemas would play music and usherettes sell ice cream, additional entertainment in song and dance was provided by Madam Miriam Joseph James and her entourage.

During the 1960s, many live events took place at the Plaza, including comedy and even wrestling. However, the popularity of television began to rob cinema of its audience. The conversion of three other local cinemas to bingo halls was initially a boon for the Plaza, as audiences had no other option for the newest films. By 1972, the Plaza was the only cinema left in Port Talbot.

The popularity of home video probably led to the Plaza's closure in 1983. The last film shown before the Plaza became a full-time bingo hall was Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman.

The cinema reopened on 18 October 1985 with Disney's Peter Pan but suffered a slow decline until January 4, 1999, the year of its 60th anniversary. Distributors were favouring newer multi-screen cinemas and the Plaza couldn't compete for custom. The last movies shown were The Prince of Egypt and Antz.

The cinema was listed Grade II on 4 August 1999, but it was too late to save it from closure. The building sat empty and derelict for many years.

The cinema building was purchased by Neath Port Talbot Council in October 2009. Serious consideration was not really given to the building’s future until 2011 when the independent Plaza Group was set up to preserve the cultural history of Port Talbot. Due to the efforts of the Plaza group and the Council, and after a £6.5 million redevelopment, the Plaza has been restored and re-opened as a multi-purpose community, business and healthy living centre.

The Plaza Cinema is a significant part of Port Talbot's history and culture this vital landmark has now been preserved for future generations.

I usually attempt to present buildings in their opening state. But with the Plaza not actually being finished until ten years after it opened, I present it here in its adolescence from around 1950.

On all the usual gear, of course...