image for illustration: The Strand Arts Centre (Strand Cinema)by sjdunphy – CC BY-SA 2.0
The only surviving Art Deco cinema in Northern Ireland is undergoing a major refurbishment to mark its 90th anniversary, reports RTE.
RTE News writes:
Opened in December 1935, in its heyday the Strand Cinema in east Belfast was one huge auditorium that could seat almost 1,200 people. It was designed to look like the interior of a luxury cruise liner… A £6.5m refurbishment is under way…
‘Our role here will be in effect to turn the clock back somewhat,’ conservation architect Bill McAllister explained…
The aim is for the Strand to reopen its doors early next year, more than 90 years after its projectors started to roll. The charity said it hopes the refurbishment will secure its future for generations to come.
