A pub landlord has teamed up with a group of cinema buffs to present a nostalgic look back at Chester’s golden age of entertainment including lost picture palaces and the much missed Royalty Theatre.

Mike Mercer of The Albion Inn – the city’s oldest and longest serving publican – has joined forces with former projectionist Peter Davies and David A Ellis, a respected author and authority on the history of the city’s old cinemas.

The presentation, entitled ‘Chester’s Cinemas and Theatres Past and Gone’ will be staged at The Albion on Tuesday, December 5, at 7.30pm.

Landlord at The Albion Mike Mercer

It will include film, slides and memorabilia on the subject of Chester’s cinemas and theatres sadly no longer in existence.

Much loved and now long gone Chester picture palaces include The Gaumont in Brook Street, The Regal in Foregate Street and The Odeon in Hunter Street – although The Odeon has been given a new lease of life as Storyhouse. Also missed is The Royalty Theatre in City Road.

Speaking about the event, Peter Davies who worked as a projectionist at both The Regal and The Odeon in Chester said: “The evening will be a nostalgic look back at the wonderful places which gave the people of Chester and the wider community so much pleasure and entertainment and we hope it will bring back lots of memories.”

Tickets for the event, which has been limited to a maximum seating of 20 people, are £5 (which includes a finger buffet and unlimited amounts of tea and coffee) and are available on a first-come-first-served basis by contacting Mike or Christina Mercer at The Albion Inn on 01244 340345.