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The Sandonia Kinema and Theatre opened on 20th November 1920 with a stage production of “Chu Chin Chow”, and the first film was screened there a week later. It closed in early 1923, was sold and re-opened shortly thereafter, again with both films and live performances. The first ‘talkie’ was screened in August 1930, and the first CinemaScope film in June 1957. It finally closed as a cinema on 26th September 1963.

The building was sold to a Wolverhampton company who re-opened it as an independent bingo club. Later it operated as a Coral Bingo Club, until 1990, when it became a snooker club, which continued until about 2000. Since then it remained empty and disused and became increasingly derelict, though strenuous efforts have been made to preserve it. The Sandonia was named Building of the Month in February 2021 by Save Britain’s Heritage: a Facebook group ‘Save Our Sandonia’ has attracted 754 followers. Contractors moved in to commence demolition on the afternoon of 2nd July 2021, but once the Borough Council was made aware they halted the works three days later, as the contractor allegedly did not have planning permission, an application for which was subsequently submitted. Some councillors and other local supporters are in favour of saving at least the front of the building as part of an initiative to create a conservation area: during the 19th century, the southern part of the Common ward, also known as the Foregate, was the heart of Stafford’s boot and shoe manufacturing industry. However as of December 2022 the building remains in a partly demolished state.

The building was designed by local architect Henry T Sandy of Sandy & Norris. It has or had a strikingly long and narrow auditorium, with seating located in stalls and circle levels. The cinema had a fully equipped stage, complete with a large fly tower for scenery. When converted for use as a snooker hall, the stalls rake was split into two terraces providing room for thirteen full sized tables and the stage given a false floor over the original rake, providing for four more. The interior is now wrecked and gutted. The attractive white faience facade remains in situ.

Interesting and useful links:

Interior photos from 1991 (post-bingo, pre-snooker) on the Staffordshire Past Track site
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Three reports (2011, 2019, 2021) from intrepid urban explorers on the 28DaysLater website
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Save Our Sandonia Facebook group
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