The eagerly-awaited 1950s cinema at Beamish Museum has now started to take shape along with new shops as the visitor attraction's ambitious new development project continues.
Work has finally started on the cinema site which is part of the museum's new 1950s Town, bringing a unique experience for visitors one step closer. The end result will be a recreation of The Grand Cinema from Ryhope in Sunderland which dates from that period and where visitors will be able to step back in time to enjoy a retro cinema outing.
Already they can book in for a 1950s hairdo at the town's salon opposite the cinema site where they can enjoy other period attractions such as John's Cafe, serving 'frothy coffee' and ice cream, and visit a chip shop, a recreation of artist Norman Cornish's house and a nearby fifties playground with a mini crazy golf course. Among those to watch work on the cinema get under way was Bill Mather, who was born in Ryhope and had worked as a trainee projectionist at The Grand from 1950 to 1955.
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He said: “I’m really looking forward to the cinema being completed. You’re going to have thousands of people who have never seen a cinema of the 50s, who are going to be coming just to see what it’s like.
“They’re going to feel as if they are in magic land in my opinion.” The cinema will to incorporate as many of the features of the original building as possible and, when finished, it will screen short films and occasional feature-length ones.
At the same time as announcing news on the cinema, the County Durham museum said that construction work is also under way on a toy shop and electrical shop. All are part of the Remaking Beamish project which marks the biggest development in the museum’s history.
The project, which besides the 1950s additions will introduce new Georgian attractions including a drovers' tavern and accommodation for overnight stays, received a £10.9m boost from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2016. Its current work is nearing completion on another stage of the 1950s development: semi-detached houses; a bowling pavilion and green; police houses with an office and aged miners’ homes which are all due to open this summer.
The cinema will be opening next year, as will the toy shop, which is to be named after the popular Romer Parrish store - both a toy shop and newsagent - in Middlesbrough and the electrical shop called A Reece Ltd, which will also have a repair workshop. Both are being built on the town's Front Street terrace.
The new Romer Parrish is so-named after Teessiders voted for the museum to recreate a toy shop and here visitors will be able to discover popular toys of the decade and also see repairs taking place in the dolls’ hospital. Rhiannon Hiles, chief executive at Beamish, said: “We’re very excited to be starting work on The Grand Cinema, Romer Parrish toy shop and A Reece Ltd electrical shop and workshop, at our wonderful 1950s Town.
"We can’t wait to welcome visitors to experience a trip to the cinema, and discover popular toys and the latest in 1950s technology in the shops." She added: “Our Remaking Beamish exhibits that have already opened are proving very popular with visitors."
She is grateful for the support of all the visitors, staff, volunteers, funders and partners at what she called "a very exciting time for the museum" and said: "There is so much to look forward to at the museum, with the completion of our 1950s Town and work on the expansion of our Georgian area, including self-catering cottages and a tavern, which will be starting soon."
Helen Featherstone, North director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are excited to see another element of the Remaking Beamish project get under way, which has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players." She said the investment will help to showcase the region's unique retail and cinema heritage by providing visitors with captivating immersive experiences which also will provide opportunities for young people to learn.
Local company Brims Construction is currently building the new attractions from CGI images created by Space Architects of how they will look. For more about Beamish Museum and what's on offer see here.
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