Pub memories

[Anonymous1]

The "Street", wasn't that the entrance to the "Orion" cinema. Biggest cinema in Hastings?

[david_russell]

If it was the entrance to the cinema, it was also presumably, the entrance to the original music hall ?

GK: do you remember using the 'Street' as the entrance to the cinema yourself ?

Does anybody else ?

Yates was bombed in the war. But was the 'Street' also bombed ??

[Geoff]

I take it you've seen the photo of the bombed plaza cinema which is now Yates?

You can just about see the whole in the top where the bomb enetered.

Enjoying the pubs thread!

Geoff

[david_russell]

Apologies GK you could not have used that entrance - even if it existed - it's too far back.

But I was in there yesterday anyway and supping my half of Portugese lager, I thought that perhaps Dickens might of walked through here 150 years ago !!

Never mind. Just dreaming !!

[david_russell]

Sorry again. Wife just told me "Dickens didnt drink Portugese lager" did he ?

[Anonymous1]

[quoted]
David Russell wrote:

GK: do you remember using the 'Street' as the entrance to the cinema yourself ?

Does anybody else ?

Yates was bombed in the war. But was the 'Street' also bombed ??


[/quoted]

I remember seeing the Graduate there. Also "Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii" at least I think it was that pink floyd movie, the one with "Echoes"_ _ __ _ _also as a young teenager keen to see a smutty movie I managed to get in (underage) to see a film called "Chesty Morgan". It was the biggest load of rubbish I had ever seen.

During the early 70's the number going to movies had declined and the Orion struggled to attract the punters, it was a massive Cinema with massive overheads. In it's decline it became known as the "Flea Pit", showing mainly soft porn X rated films.

In the 60's my Mum worked at the ABC cinema (Now Demolished,the indoor market site) . During school hols she used to take me with her, I spent hours in there watching all sorts. I seem to remember not wanting to be there, I now don't like cinemas much.

The first time I went to the cinema on my own (a big moment, very exciting) was to see "Oliver" at the Curzon in st leonards, Norman rd, where Brookers is now (I think), A Great Movie.


_ _ _..re the bombs, wasn't a book published some years ago detailing bomb sites in Hasting?

[david_russell]

The photograph of the Plaza shows the bomb made a right mess. Pity it doesnt show any of the Street next door. Perhaps the staircase was put in when it was repaired/rebuilt ?

The information that I have is that the complex opened in 1858 and the Street was first licensed in 1868 as West's Cellars. If as GK says, the musical hall/cinema was a very big place accommodating 100s of customers it's hard to imagine them all trooping through the Street to get in there surely ?

Perhaps the Street was the entrance to the music hall from 1859 when it opened, until 1868 when it was licensed ?

Ive asked around about this but no one seems to know. Even the guy who got the blue plaque in memory of Dickens visit put up doesnt know.

[Anonymous1]

Seems to be some confusion here, or maybe I'm confused. The street is next to Yates, Underneath (basement) the same building but with an entrance on Havelock rd is the Crypt, which I assume was the West's Cellars you mention.

The Street (I'm 90% certain) was the entrance to the Orion which was in the same building. If you look at that building in google earth there is a pitched roof measuring 80 ft by 60 ft a very large roof but the building is larger. The cinema would have been under that roof.


Is that right??

[david_russell]

Yes GK that seems about it. You have answered the question; 'was the Street Bar the entrance to the Orion' (1948-1978) ? So presumably you used that entrance when you went there ?

We know there was always a bar there. Does it mean that cinema goers went hrough the bar to get to the cinema ?

The Hastings Chronicle website (for 1859) says: "There were two staircases, one into Havelock Road, the other to the main entrance facing Robertson Street". My guess is that the building we now know as the 'Street' was the Robertson St entrance. But could be wrong ?

Apologies for earlier waffle

[Anonymous1]

I just asked my wife, it seems I may be confused.

Latest recollection from JK. The street always was a bar and stairs from there lead down to the crypt, The entrance to the orion was a very narrow part of the facade (a part of yates current facade) the rest of what is now yates was Smiths.

Just seen the photo of the Plaza that Geoff linked to. The entrance to the Plaza became the orion entrance. The other 3 window eventually became W.H. Smiths. That may account for the altered numbering.

Sorry for the confusion.