Empire Picture Theatre 1910-1930
New Empire Picture Theatre (1930-1933)

Haddington Street, Hove

1910 June Application is made to Hove Council by Bostel Brothers on behalf of Harry Scriven to convert a former assembly hall (Blatchington Hall) into an 'electric theatre' to designs by architect Herbert A Finn.
1910 December 10 Opens. The projector was acquired second-hand from the Salvation Army's Congress Hall in Park Crescent Terrace. Harry Scriven's son Eddie acted as projectionist and also took newsreels of local events from an open-top car, the films being shown three days later. The manager was Walter Robert Flint, who also played the piano, two shows nightly at 19:00 and 21:00, matinees Wednesday and Saturday morning; 350 seats. Prices: 3d, 6d, 9d.
1912 Balcony added with 70 seats
1926 Licence transferred to Mrs Elizabeth Scriven following the death of her husband, Harry Scriven
1930 Sold and renamed New Empire
1933 Closed.
The site was later part of Sainsburys supermarket, now Co-operative Food.

Reference:
Judy Middleton: Film-makers, Cinemas and Circuses at Hove (2001)

Brighton cinema directory