Coventry Cinemas

There was also the Lyric on Holbrook Lane, now a Bingo Hall (I assume). I saw a double bill of The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins, my first trip to the movies, c. 1966.

Hi Roseaoakwood I too watched the sound of music at the Lyric all those years ago it was a bingo hall but now its what they call a pound shop.

Continuing the cinema theme - I moved to Coventry in Nov 1946 and the first film I saw was The Count Of Monte Cristo at the Opera House, now that was another nice building, now gone!

I remember the climbing up the stairs to get to 'the Gods' at the Opera House. I can't remember the name of the film but the Crazy Gang were in it.

Well, blow me down, about that time you moved to Coventry, my parents used to take me into the restaurant upstairs at the Opera House. Seeing the photo brought it all back, thank you heaps

Went to the Opera House in 1956 to see 'The Girl Can't Help It'. During the film something chewed a hole in my mac, presumably a rat. Remember the uncovered bulb hanging on a long wire from the ceiling. What a dump it was by the mid 50s.

Remember my dad taking me to see George Orwels Animal Farm at the opera.

The Opera House was the only city centre cinema I never visited despite living quite close to it although by that time it had acquired a certain reputation for the type of films it was showing. In fact I was completely oblivious to its existence until comparitively recently.

I remember going to the Opera House somewhere around 59/60 to see a science fiction film. The astronauts landed on the moon and met up with "Rockmen" that detached themselves from the cliff face and chased them. It was that realistic you could even see the vapour trail of an airplane in the sky. lol. Five of us went and we were the only people in there, what a dive it was and that is saying something when you had the "Crown" cinema at the bottom of Gosford st.

Thank you for mentioning the restaurant upstairs at the Opera House. I thought that maybe I'd dreamed about going there as a child, as no one seems to remember a restaurant there.

The Crown had already been remodelled as the Paris by the time I moved there and (I'm guessing) pretty much took away the Opera House's 'adult' clientelle. As a kid I always preferred the Odeon at the top of Far Gosford Street anyway. It was a sad day when the latter became a bingo hall.

Here's The Lyric in 2009

I watched the 'Lost World' in there once, but bought five rolls of cellotape for a £1 just a week ago. As the book was written in 1912, where did the helicopters come from that took the team off the plateau?

I was quite disappointed with the general reaction to the Opera House. When I went there in 46 it was tired and shabby but so was the majority of the country. I was impressed by the red plush seats and the Dress Circle between the stalls and the Gods, quite swish!. However it was the impression of a country bred young teenager.

Glad you remembered the Opera House Tricia. I had a rather unpleasant moment there when I had eaten some pears. I chewed on a slither of glass and the waitress rushed me into the kitchen to sort things out. They had been bottled pears (obviously), but all's well that ends well. Rather frightening for a youngster and mum was not too pleased - not sure if we got a free meal or not but I know I enjoyed the pears.