The Palladium in decline

Image: © Neil Owen Taken: 19 Dec 2013

The Palladium in Midsomer Norton is now a sad and neglected sight. Originally the buildings here were part of the Welton Old Brewery Company, dating from the nineteenth century. One of the old vat houses was converted into The Empire Cinema - a 'cinéariety' house with stage, dressing rooms and raked auditorium in 1913, with other adjoining rooms being utilised for other diversions like billiards. The original owner, Sidney Milles, sold it to Albany Ward, who renamed it the Palladium Electric and also made a number of on-going alterations to provide film and stage entertainment in 1915. From then it changed hands a few times until Ken and Shirley Stone took over in 1981. Ken started as a projector rewind boy in 1944 and remained associated with the cinema. However, despite the efforts put in, the cinema slowly lost out to the more modern but distant multiplexes. The last film shown at the Palladium was, most appropriately, 'Cinema Paradiso', on 30th January, 1993. After its closure the Palladium was bought by Moonjuice nightclub owner Martin Sawyer, but unfortunately he died in a car crash in 2004. Since then its doors have remained closed and the old picture house left to gather dust. Some hope was raised by plans to convert it into a nightclub in 2007 but nothing has materialised yet. The Town Hall now shows films on an occasional basis. Some of the old cinema's historic double backrow seats were sold off and avidly sought by buyers - many of whom had happy memories and tales of a night at the flicks.

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