The Rothbury featured in one shot in the opening sequence of Lady Godiva Rides Again in 1950, to show the delights of going to the pictures on a Sunday

Franklin Road, Portslade
operated 1934-1964

1934 March 27 Opened by Oscar Deutsch, F Stanley Bates and A L Middleton, the latter being the cinema's builder. The architect is George Coles, showing a strong infuence of art deco, which Coles subsequently developed as chief architect for the Odeon chain that Deutsch and Bates were in the process of setting up (see Odeon Kemptown). The building was originally intended to be an assembly hall. Middleton retains ownership when Deutsch and Bates withdraw. It is named after Middleton's birthplace in Northumberland. It has a dance hall and café; the proscenium is 34ft wide, a British Thomson-Houston sound system; 548 seats on one floor. The opening film is The Private Life of Henry VIII (which also opened the Astoria three months earlier).
1938 Leased for 21 years to Mrs I Merriman Langdon of Langdon Enterprises Ltd (also runs the Ritz, Seaford).
1941 Continuous performances with occasional variety shows. Prices 8d-1s 9d.
1948 Owned by O&P Cinemas (Brighton) Ltd. 548 seats, prices 10d-2s 3d.
1950 The cinema is seen briefly in the film Lady Godiva Rides Again.
1952 Allowed a local licence for a banned American B feature, Wicked Woman, for a two-week Sussex premiere.
1953 Owned by Robert Gordon Cinemas Ltd; 612 seats, prices 1s 6d-2s 6d; three changes weekly.
1957 Prices 1s-2s 9d. Cinemascope.
1961 Prices 1s-3s.
1964 January 19 Closed. Final films: Where Danger Lies and The Champion.
• The building was a Mecca bingo hall from 23 January 1964 to 1978 and stood derelict until it was converted the studios of commercial radio station Southern FM (now Heart Sussex) in 1983.

Brighton cinema directory
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