REX CINEMA NEWHAVEN

Ah, Saturday morning matinees! I went most Saturdays, armed with two bob. 1/6d for the film and 6d to spend on sweets. What a treat. I used to walk all the way there and back from the top of Gibbon Road, rain or shine.

There was always a short film, a serial (so you had to go every week) and a main feature. Was anyone else a regular Saturday morning kid back then?

Must admit Andy, I never went there for the Saturday matinees. I used to cycle to Seaford on a Saturday morning - 6d to get in in those days. I often sat there soaking too when I got caught by a wave while riding past the buckle! Ha ha ha!

The Curzon in Dane Road, wasn't it? Went there a few times.  I think I saw 2001 or Battle of Britain. I went by train, as we had the British Railways 'priv' cards. I think the return fare from Newhaven for me was 3d! A bit posher than our Rex, perhaps, but I liked our 'flea-pit', as some of my friends called it back then.

My brother Bob and I used to go to the Rex on Saturdays with our sandwiches and always tried to sit in the front row (don't know why, as it was murder on your neck having to look up to the screen!) The cowboy films were big favourites, with the boys taking on the acting parts when the Indians were on the warpath! It was pretty noisy as you can imagine! Mr Woolgar, the manager would walk up and down the aisle and turf out anyone behaving too badly! Old Mother Riley and Laurel and Hardy were also good films and big favourites.

After the films, later in the day we would go home and have our Saturday tea of hot Sprats with bread and butter!!

I'm sure the Rex was called the Cinema De Luxe at the time we were going there in the 1940's, does anyone else remember this ?

My huband, Arthur Mitchell has told me some tales about when he used to go to the children's Saturday morning shows at the Rex.

He and his mate, Tiger Holden, used to be two of the bad lads who were regularly escorted off the premises, only to come straight back in through the back door!

Once they were in the circle eating ice cream cornets when they spotted a bald head shining up at them. So the little devils dropped their cones right onto it. LOL!

Another time they took all the screws out of the seats and they collapsed like a pack of cards. He still goes into fits of laughter when he remembers, and he is now over 70. Do men ever grow up?

I too went to the Seaford Flix. The train fair was 3p. Does anybody remember the hole in the centre of the screen?

Yes I remember the Sturday morning matinees! I seem to remember there were raffle tickets given out with a draw between films where you could win a box of liquorish allsorts. When the Rex shut down it stood empty for some years before International Stores took its place. During that time it was used for filming a Monty Python sketch. In it a cowboy film is showng where a Indians are being attacked- suddenly a group of Indians in full headress who have been watching the film leap up and rush to attack the screen -was anyone there when this was filmed?

Saturday mornings at the Rex, and often the projector would break down, a riot would break out, the lights would come on and everyone was kicked out. The good old days!

I was a Saturday morning regular in the sixties as well - a weekly treat! I can still taste the red lollies we had during the interval. I once won a competition there to see how many things you could fit in a matchbox (those were simpler times!) By the way, the Seaford flicks was called the Ritz.

I remember going to the Newhaven cinema in the late 30s & early 40s. If the film required you to be accompanied by an adult we would stand outside asking " can you take me in mister" !!   

I just remember the cinema being a lovely place and I am very proud to see my fathers shop is advertised in this programme.....

Ah, Saturday mornings at the cinema, does anyone remember trying to get in for free at the exit door ! and taking "pea shooters " those were the days and then the walk back up Church Hill to Second Avenue ( after maybe buying an airfix kit in "Dees" if you had saved the money )

Memories. I remember the little competitions too. One week it was a dance contest and we all had to do The Twist. One week I was thrown out for using ice cream tub lids as custard pies but as others have said I just went round to the side door, gave it a knock and my mates let me back in.

As for the weekly serial it always had a cliff hanging ending where the goodie was sure to die only for the following week you saw him escape at the last possible moment. Utter tosh but we always came back for more.

Hi guys. 
Just to let you that I was the projectionist there until it finally closed as a cinema and became a bingo hall.