Empire

The Empire Cinema was the first purpose built cinema in Carnarfon, opened in 1915. The cinema held one show nightly with three on Saturdays, no shows on Sunday, at prices ranging from 3d to 1/3d. It made the transition to the sound era in 1930 with a British Acoustic sound system.

In the early-1930’s it changed ownership to Capt. W.E. Pritchard who went on to develop a small chain of cinemas in Pwllheli, Porthmadog, Pen y Groes, Criccieth and Blaenau Festiniog, and his partner in Caernarfon E.H. Jonathan. In 1945, following the death of Capt. Pritchard Guy Baker’s Paramount Picture Theatres purchased the Empire Cinema from the Pritchard family and in 1956 installed Cinemascope when the seating capacity was reduced to 478 to cope with the new lines of sight.

A bingo licence was acquired in the early-1970’s and film shows were reduced to 4 nights per week. Eventually bingo took over completely and in 1986, following the death of Guy Baker, Apollo Leisure took over the hall, refurbished it and today film shows are but a distant memory.

Information from the cinema treasures website:
cinematreasures.org/theaters/31696