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Handley Court Mews, SLEAFORD, NG34 7RW

Bus shelter on Station Road, Sleaford. This location has a new outlook to the south with the removal of dilapidated buildings that occupied the plot between the flower-beds and the fence.

The Sleaford Picturedrome opened in 1920 and proved popular, with it acquiring sound in 1931, an improved screen in 1955 and an additional screen in 1980; however, during the 1980s, there was a downturn in the number of patrons and the building's fabric deteriorated, with the old screen closing in 1984. In 2000, the cinema closed and became a snooker hall and then a nightclub; however, due to poor demand, it was closed in 2008. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleaford for more details.

The Handley Monument is a memorial to Henry Handley (1797-1846), who was born in the town of Sleaford.

Ordnance Survey flush bracket (serial identifier G2852) benchmark levelled at 16.704m above Newlyn Datum in 1954 verified 1966

Originally Sleaford Picturedrome http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/18430 opened in November 1920, the big screen cinema closed in 1984 though the small screen continued alongside a snooker hall for many years. Its last incarnation as Flicks nightclub ended in 2011 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2238095 though it now enjoys a new lease of life as Oscar's Black & White restaurant http://www.blackandwhiterestaurant.co.uk/contact_us.php

The 900 seat cinema opened at 6pm on 8th November 1920 and facilities for sound added in 1931. The first silent films shown were ‘The Messenger’, a comedy with Oliver Hardy, and ‘Eye for Eye’. Extended to 980 seats in 1934 it was taken over by Star Cinemas in 1939. A 29ft (8.8m) CinemaScope screen was installed in 1955. When the Star's lease expired in 1968 it was run by Frank Haxby and a 60 seat second cinema was added in the former café in 1980. The main screen closed due to technical problems in 1985 and was sold off in 1985 with the area being turned into a snooker hall. The small screen continued with Frank Haxby until 9th September 2000 and had reportedly been the oldest cinema in the county still showing films. The last showing was believed to be a romantic comedy, Blame It On Rio. The building then became Flicks nightclub and by 2015 Reel nightclub that closed early 2020. By June 2020 it was being refurbished as Heat nightclub.

The former “Picturedrome” on South Gate dates from 1920. In 1985, once it was no longer viable as a cinema, it became a snooker hall. Part of the building now houses “The Reel” nightclub and in 2013 its front portion was converted into an Indian restaurant. Handley's monument, erected in 1852 in memory of the former M.P. and entrepreneur Henry Handley (c.1797–1844), can be seen further ahead.

The former Picturedrome cinema, which was built in 1920.