THE imminent opening of the new cinema in the Market Place is good news.

As a young lad in the 50s I loved the cinema and, whilst familiar with those in the town centre, my particular favourite being the magnificent Odeon, I was intrigued by the long list of cinemas in the Bolton Evening News and made is my mission to visit them all. For many lads, train-spotting was the thing to do, for me it was cinema-spotting.

So, with my somewhat reluctant pals in tow, (they were train-spotters) we would head off on our bikes to see out those mysterious out-of-the-way cinemas. One such adventure was to find the Empire cinema in Howard Street. And there is was, a white building at the end of a little street of terraced cottages, making the street into a cul-de-sac. We arrived in the afternoon, the cinema was closed and all the seats were piled up outside.

Some time later, having noticed that the Empire was still in the listings, we returned with the intention, this time, of seeing the film (but in my case simply to see inside the place.)

While watching the film we kept hearing a slap-slap-slap. This turned out to be the new manager slapping the legs of those lads who dared to put their feet up on his new seats.

In those days, going to cinema was 'going to the flicks.' I didn't realise it at the time but this was because in years past the films used to flicker so badly.

Going back to even earlier times, I recall my father telling me about the time the Capitol on Churchgate was proudly advertising 'The Singing Fool', the first 'talkie' to be shown in the town, while over the road the Theatre Royal was proclaiming on a large sign 'Silence is golden." Obviously they soon had to step in line.

I wish the operators the best of luck in the new cinema and look forward to my first visit.

G Wilkes

Ash Grove

Harwood