Wonderland: Back to the Kingsway

We're embarking on a new year-long project to map out Birmingham’s cinema stories, and what better place to start than the Kingsway?

When this ornate theatre opened in the rapidly growing suburb of Kings Heath in 1925, the publicity promised “high-class amusement tastefully presented.” It became a much-loved local asset, but by the 1970s home entertainment had taken its toll and the Kingsway’s final screening – Encounter with Disaster – took place in 1980. Its second life as a bingo hall lasted until the late 2000s, and then in 2011 a fire left only the building’s frontage standing.

Happily, since last summer the Kingsway has enjoyed a third life, hosting outdoor film screenings, craft markets and record fairs. Come and join us on market day, where we’ll be sharing pictures and footage of the Kingsway along with some of Birmingham’s other lost picture houses. If you'd like to be part of the Wonderland team check out our call for volunteers (deadline 3 Oct), and if you have images or stories of your own we’d love to hear from you.

This is the first in a series of pop-up Wonderland events during the autumn – stay tuned for further announcements.