© David Simpson
David Simpson… In Hastings, East Sussex, when the ABC/Ritz Cinema closed in 1971 Don Smith Enterprises Ltd. decided to turn the upper level of their bingo club into a cinema. Due to the need to work around the bingo sessions, the building work took 18 months (plus a reported 25 tons of concrete, six tons of steel and £20,000) before the Penguin Cinema opened on Sunday 24th August 1974….
Story continues here... http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/49944
Andy Coleman… A guy I worked with drew up the architects plans for the conversion; I think his first name was Derek, but can’t remember his surname
Wendy Weaver… Spent some time in there. I used to be captain of the snooker team. Great times.
Johnnie Bell-Kelman… when was that Wend? Might I remember you? I remember Jim the manger bloke.
Wendy Weaver… Johnnie Bell-Kelman . I spoke to Jim over the weekend. He’s fine. I started playing in the League in the Thursday league in about 1985-ish and then was captain of the Monday A team until about 1998 when the whole team left and became St Mary’s B.
Allan Mitchell… I remember those days
Graham Bradley… Great guy Don, certainly put his mark on Hastings
Mike Cramp… With its later use, funny to think it was built as a school.
Richard Samuel… Remember as a kid my mother had a lucky streak at bingo and I was dumped in the cinema . Reckon I saw Man With The Golden Gun and Live and Let Die 14 times in a fortnight – I still remember all the lines .