Basic Site Details Name: | Mayfair Cinema | Town, district or village: | Whitefield | City or county: | Manchester | Country: | England | Parish: | | Status: | Demolished | Grid ref: | | Notes: | WHITEFIELD - Mr Alistair G McDonald ARIBA 13 Queen Anne’s-gate Westminster SW1 is preparing plans for the erection of a cinema at Bury Old-road, Besses o’th’Barn, (Whitefield) for the directors of the Palace Picture House. Accommodation for about 1,450 will be provided
WHITEFIELD - Esson Cinema Limited has been formed to erect a cinema on a site adjoining the “Palace” Whitefield near Manchester. The cinema, the “Mayfair”will seat 1,500 persons and will cost £22,000. Plans are in course of preparation by Mr Alistair G McDonald ARIBA 13 Queen Anne’s Gate, SW1. [Builder 1 February 1935 Page 240 - new cinemas]
WHITEFIELD - A contract for the erection of the Mayfair cinema to seat 1450 persons at Bury Old Road, Besses o’th’ Barn for Red Rose Cinema Company Limited (Mr Alistair G McDonald ARIBA 13 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1, architect) has been placed with Messrs P Hamer Limited, 15 Park Road, Swinton, Manchester. The estimated cost is £22,000. [Builder 22 March 1935 Page 573 - new cinemas].
The first Mayfair opened alongside the earlier Palace Cinema which closed immediately before the new building opened on January 6, 1936. However the Mayfair was totally destroyed by fire in April 1941 and the Palace was hurriedly reopened until a replacement could be built. This duly opened in 1947 (?), designed by Drury & Gomersall. | Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Cinema | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Bury Old Road | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1933 | 1936 | Build/construction | |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Alister Gladstone MacDonald (or Alistair Gladstone MacDonald) | | A | 1933 | 1936 | Cinema destroyed by fire 1941 | | Leonard George Pargiter | | a | After 1933 | Before 1937 | As architect in charge of Edinburgh office of Alister G MacDonald (which dealt with everyhting north of Manchester) |
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 27 October 1933 | | | p679 - new cinemas | | Builder | 1 February 1935 | | | p240 - new cinemas]
| | Builder | 22 March 1935 | | | p573 - new cinemas |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | Pargiter: L no6486 (Combined Box 142); F no4784 (Combined Box 35) |
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