Cinema and Eating Out
Click on a thumbnail to open the image gallery
A look back in time
I found this interesting programme in a shop in Western Road called ‘Brighton and Hove Stuff’; it was published in November 1953. It gives a great insight into the entertainment that was available in Brighton sixty years ago. My parents had only been married three years at this time, so I find it fascinating to think that they might have visited these places. As you can see, the scope of the entertainment options was very different then, compared to the twenty four hour availability that we have come to expect nowadays.
Do you know who or what ‘Willy the worry bug’ was?
Eating out was a treat
I remember my parents telling me that they had to be on the last 49 bus back to Moulsecoomb at 11pm, or they had to walk home. Of course there was no spare money for taxis in those days. They went to the Regent Ballroom frequently, and my Dad was a big fan of the cinema. He loved cowboy or war films in particular, so it is wonderful to think that they saw the same listings that were in this programme, and maybe saw some of these films. Eating out was a real treat back then, not like it is now when we tend to go out probably once or twice a week; it was usually reserved for birthdays and other celebratory events.
Do you remember
Did you visit any of the places advertised in the programme? Where did you go out to eat? Can you remember any of the prices? If you can share your memories with us, please leave a comment below.
Comments about this page
I remember ‘Harrisons’ on the King’s Road back in the ’60s – a bit of a dive! Saw a few of the films mentioned. ‘Singing in the Rain’ being a favourite at the time. It’s not really that long ago from my perspective. Yes, there are lots of alternatives on the entertainment front these days, but most of it seems pretty tedious to me. Content doesn’t match up to the technology as far as I’m concerned!
Around this time my three favourite haunts were the Princes News Theatre in North Street, The Duke of York’s and, my favourite, the Odeon Kemptown in Paston Place where I saw my first film with my mum in the ’40s. As I stated somewhere else on the site, in those times we took sandwiches with us and a bottle of water, that’s how it was after the war, nobody had much of anything then except getting on with life and making the best of it. Sometimes you would have an ice cream if mum was a bit flush, which was very rare. I also loved Saturday mornings at the Odeon, some of the films seem so corny now but at the time they hit the spot. Eating out was over the road from the Odeon after the Saturday morning spot at the bakers getting some bread and dripping and stale cakes for three pence, just loved it.
In the 1950’s we lived in Pyecombe. Mum used to take us (my brother and I) on the bus to Brighton, now and again for shopping in either London Road (Co-op) or Western Road. Like Mick, invariably we ended up in the Princes News Theatre in North Street, which we loved, even after we had the telly at home. When we went to London, we again seemed to end up at the News Theatre at Victoria Station!
I also remember the Princes News in Victoria station. My mum was a Londoner as was I, my dad was from Brighton so as a kid it was just lovely to get on the train to London to see relatives, and the little News Theatre. I remember the noisy trams which I also loved. I am addicted to all those cartoons from the 40s and the 50s, and so are my grandchildren, they were and still are so funny to me. I used to go out with a girl whom I later married that had her pony in stables at Pycombe just before the hill on the right hand side on the A23 going from Brighton. Many a weekend was spent riding over the downs in the summer and having a pint in the Plough, lovely days.
Add a comment about this page