Plaza Cinema, Art Deco movie theater in Port Talbot, Wales.
Plaza Cinema is an Art Deco movie theater with a grand traditional entrance and expansive foyer, originally designed to seat around 1,400 people. The building follows the classic layout of an Odeon cinema and shows typical design details from its era.
The building opened as a cinema in 1940 and operated in that role until 1983, when it was converted into a bingo club. It later reopened as a multi-screen cinema before receiving Grade II listed status in 1999.
The cinema served as a central gathering place for the community, and young actors including Richard Burton visited during their early careers. Local movie theaters like this one were important to entertainment culture in Port Talbot and connected the town to the wider Welsh arts world.
The building was carefully restored due to its protected status and is now open to the public for various activities. Check ahead to find out what events or guided tours are currently available.
The cinema used an ingenious periscope projection system that allowed multiple screening rooms to be created from a single projection space. This technical solution was creative problem-solving during the 1980s renovation and remains a clever aspect of its design.
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