Bijou Electric Empire (1911-1915)
Prince's Electric Theatre (1915-1918)
Bijou Select Palace (1918-1919)
Prince's Cinema (1919-1947
Prince's News Theatre (1947-1967)
Jacey Cinema (1967-1969)
Brighton Film Theatre (1969-1978)
Cinescene (1979-1983)

64 North Street, Brighton 11
operated 1911-1983

1911 Opened (at 63a North Street) in the former Southern Publishing Company printing works. Converted by Cooke, Ennever & Tulk in an awkward L-shaped site with a relatively long sloping entrance area and an auditorium to the left at the back. 450 seats.
1915 Renamed the Prince's Electric Theatre
1918 Renamed the Bijou Select Palace
1919 Renamed the Prince's Cinema
1929 Westrex sound system installed.

Prince's News Theatre with its new frontage in 1933

1933 New entrance with neon-lit frontage.
Acquired by Jacey Cinemas Ltd [Birmingham]
1947 Renamed the Prince's News Theatre
1948 450 seats, prices 10d and 1s 9d, continuous performances, booked in Birmingham
1953 Prices 10d-1s 10d
1957 Prices 1s-1s 10d
1961 454 seats. Prices 1s 6d-2s 6d

Prince's News Theatre ('This is a Jacey Theatre') in 1966

1967 Renamed the Jacey Cinema
1969 February 24 Opened as Brighton Film Theatre, part of the chain of regional film theatres supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) with art-house programming. At the opening, by BFI director Stanley Reed, are Sir Michael Balcon, Dame Flora Robson (who lived in Marine Gardens at the time), Sheila Sim and Richard Attenborough, who watch Elvira Madigan. Membership costs 1 gn (£1.05) a year.
1978 December 31 BFI lease expires, closes
1979 June Acquired by Myles Byrne Organisation
1979 September 10 Re-opened as Cinescene
1983 June Closed. Last film: The Ploughman's Lunch

Now a cinema-themed Burger King fast food restaurant with large-screen video projection.


The same building in 2002. The style of decoration has not changed much in 36 years.

Photos: 1933 and 1966 courtesy of Brighton & Hove Libraries' Brighton History Centre; 2002 Terra Media