THE foyer of the Odeon Cinema in the New Canal is a Grade I listed, medieval hall, which was once part of the home of John Halle – a very successful wool merchant.

John Halle was admitted as a Member of the Common Council in Salisbury in 1446, became Alderman in 1448 and was made Constable of New Street Ward in 1449. He was elected Mayor in 1451, 1458, 1464 and 1465. John Halle died in 1479,

The Hall of John Halle was also used as an inn and from 1816 to 1819 was part of the printing offices of the Wiltshire Gazette.

By the 1830s Sampson Payne was occupying the building, both as a home and a shop, having relocated there from the Market Square with his successful china and glass business. In 1834, Payne employed the noted architect Augustus Pugin to restore the building.

Pugin had moved to Salisbury and was lodging in High Street while his own house, St Marie’s Grange in Alderbury, was being built.

The renovations to the Hall of John Halle included a mock Tudor façade, extensive restoration of the window glass, a new stone archway with a moulded, four-centred head at the north end of the hall, a cartouche of arms painted by Pugin and the relocation of a fireplace in to the entrance hall to give it more visual prominence, even though this meant it could no longer be used.

It was the Hall of John Halle which was chosen to be the grand entrance to a new cinema and restaurant with the cinema built behind the Hall.

Within 18 months the new Salisbury cinema was complete and on September 7, 1931 the ‘Gaumont-British Wonder Theatre’ opened with showings - to a full house paying between 8d and two shillings - of The Chance of a Night Time, starring Ralph Lynn and Winifred Shorter, A Yank at King Arthur’s Court, Mickey Mouse’s Birthday Party and the Movietone News.

The Salisbury Times estimated that nearly 5,000 people visited the theatre during the day, and it was formally declared open by the Countess of Pembroke in the afternoon.

The hall was also crowded in the evening, with its seating capacity being taxed to the limit.

‘Expressions of appreciation were heard on all sides, and, indeed, nothing but praise could be given concerning an undertaking so perfectly carried out.’                

‘The Hall of John Halle has been carefully restored, and now forms a charming vestibule for the theatre, which although an entirely new building has been admirably designed to represent a hall of the Tudor age to harmonise with the vestibule.

In its prevailing rich brown colour with panelled ceiling and walls decorated with beautifully painted pictures in tapestry style, the theatre immediately appeals to the visitor.

Moreover, it has concealed lights which give a soft yet sufficient lighting effect, the floor and stairs are nicely carpeted and the seats are most comfortably upholstered so that all together the place is full of interest and in itself is an addition to the entertainment houses of the city that will be increasingly appreciated.’

The 1930s and the 1940s were the boom years for cinema throughout the country. However 1953, stimulated by the coronation of our queen, saw television taking a substantial hold upon the number of hours the public could afford to spend at the cinema and attendance figures fell astronomically.

To combat the crisis in attendances the cinema circuit started to build the now familiar multiplexes, and Salisbury came out very well in this respect when the Odeon created a five screen complex within the original Gaumont building, and still managed to maintain the character of the Architect’s original concept.

At least that is so in screen 1, 2 and 5, the latter being in the old restaurant area.

Screen 3 and 4 are the two little cinemas placed beneath the original circle and done rather hurriedly in 1972 when it became very clear that the era of the large auditorium were over.

But Salisbury should be proud of its central city 5 screen complex where, unlike so many other towns, there is no cinema at all and you have to take the car to drive out to some remote industrial site (Tower Park, Poole) to see a film in a vast 12 screen complex that are little more than small viewing rooms.

* Live music also played a big part in the Odeon Cinema and some of the stars who appeared there include Jack Parnell, Ted Heath and Joe Loss from the big band era, The Rolling Stones, Cilla Black, The Bee Gees and many more.

* In 1958 Buddy Holly and the Crickets appeared at the Gaumont Theatre (now the Odeon Cinema) as part of his only visit to these shore and the following year he was tragically killed in a plane crash. There can be no doubt that whilst in Salisbury, he influenced many of the local musicians and the Salisbury Journal reported that “more than 3000 fans attended and were really ‘sent’ by the headliners, with high pitched screams at times almost drowning out the music.”