Wildcats (former Futurist Cinema) on John Bright Street
Image by ell brown
Knowing that the shot from last week on Hill Street was the back of the former Futurist Cinema. I decided to get some shots of this former cinema from the front on John Bright Street.
It was Wildcats most recently (possibly a nightclub of lap dancing club). Not nice to think it went from a cinema to a place with dancing women.
It also currently houses Rouge Gentlemen’s Club.
I’ve seen a poster in Nosalgia and Comics (a comic book shop on Smallbrook Queensway) for the film Cobra and it says Futurist on it (that was back in 1986).
Previously this building was occupied by Spearmint Rhino Extreme.
The Futurist Cinema is by Arthur Stockwell of Newcastle upon Tyne, started 1914, slightly simplified during construction by Essex & Goodman, and completed 1920. A classical, rather civic, design in pink-red brick and cream terracotta, a contrast with Birmingham work in the same materials. Open Ionic arcade above the entrance. Impressive blank rear elevation on Hill Street.
From Pevsner Architectural Guides: Birmingham by Andy Foster
The below is from Images of England: Birmingham Cinemas –
The cinema was built by one of Birmingham’s own impresarios Sol Levy. Construction started before the First World War and the cinema opened in 1919, like other city-centre cinemas it had a cafe bar, which served as a meeting place for people not neccessarily going to see a film. The building is now used as a nightclub.
