The Plaza, Stockport

A trip down to Stockport for a family celebration 
Took the opportunity to visit the fabulous Plaza Cinema/Theatre - see also Extra Photos of the interior.
Wikipedia provides a little history of the building:
"The Plaza Super Cinema and Variety Theatre cinema in Stockport, England opened in 1932 and is now a Grade II listed building. After being a bingo hall for many years, it has now been restored as a cinema and theatre, showing classic films and staging live shows.
The building is in the Art Deco style, it was constructed in 1932 to a design by William Thornley. It had an original seating capacity of 1878 (other sources say 1848) and in its restored state has 614 seats in the stalls, 318 in the front circle and 254 in the rear circle (the balcony). The site involved cutting into the rock.
The first plans for a cinema on this site was made by William Thornley in 1929. It was a conservative scheme that incorporated a motor garage, a billiard hall, a restaurant with a 1600-seat cinema. Thornley, who had trained with Bradshaw Gass & Hope was experienced in designing silent movie cinemas. The owners of the site rejected the scheme. They had just opened the 1850 seat Regal Cinema, Altrincham which was designed by Drury and Gomersall and described as the ‘Cathedral of the Movies’.  Thornley was commissioned to modify the Altrincham plans to fit on the more restricted Stockport site. 

10,000 tonnes of sandstone was excavated to create The Plaza and the adjoining Plaza steps by outside labourers. The building was partially underground. The cinema was an Art Deco gem which was welcomed by the local cinema goers but opposed by the local business community, smarting from the use of outsiders when the town was still suffering from the Great Depression. Technically the cinema had all the latest equipment the projectors that could project silent and sound stock, and a Compton organ to be played during the silent news reels. It was a cine-variety venue.

The Plaza attracted competition and by 1939 there were two further super cinemas in the town centre- and two in the suburbs.  After the war, in the 1950s The Plaza was refurbished and diversified into CinemaScope and 3-D screenings. The conversion to a Bingo Hall was refused by Stockport Borough Council planning committee- this ruling was overturned by National government and Rank Leisure proceeded with their plan.
Bought in 1967, the Plaza operated as a Mecca Bingo Hall until 1999.

Restoration
The Plaza was sold to the Stockport Plaza Trust, first restorations started, and it re-opened for live shows and vintage film presentations. The first cinema show in December 2000 featured a performance of 42nd St which had been the first film shown at the Plaza in 1932. The Compton organ was found to be in working order, it was powered up and a performance of 1930s singalong music was given by Nigel Ogden. The Plaza was closed during 2009, and ₤1.9m restoration, funded by a National Lottery grant took place.  Volunteers embarked on the restoration of The Plaza to its original 1932 configuration. Most of the façade has now been unveiled and sports new name sign as well as red and green side panels, all constructed with neon lighting. The entire face has also been completely restored to its original cream ensemble."