COMING SOON! The next CTA Event DREAM PALACES: OXFORD'S EARLY CINEMAS AND THE ULTIMATE PICTURE PALACE - by Liz Woolley At The Gallery at Alan Baxter Associates, London, EC1M 6EL Fri 24th October 2025 6:30PM (doors 6.00pm) "City of Dreaming Spires"...and a good number of Dream Palaces too! Like most cities, Oxford spawned a number of early cinemas, and of particular interest as a surviving example is the Oxford Picture Palace (now the Ultimate Picture Palace), a Grade II-listed building. It opened in 1911 and was Oxford’s first purpose-built ‘electric theatre’. The technology of projecting moving images on to a screen was still in its infancy, but the ‘cinematograph’ had become widely popular, and a wave of new cinemas quickly followed, offering thrilling entertainment to both Town and Gown. In a 27-year period no fewer than 10 new cinemas opened in the city. This illustrated talk will cover the history of Oxford's early cinema heritage and give details of the extant Ultimate Picture Palace. To bring us fully up to date on the Ultimate's current situation we will hear from Micaela Tuckwell, the cinema's manager. Its future is threatened due to the necessity of a lease extension being denied by the landlord. The Ultimate has recently been designated as an ‘Asset of Community Value’. It is community-owned and run by a Community Benefit Society of over 1200 local shareholders - a unique business model. Join us for what will be a fascinating presentation. Our presenter: Liz Woolley is a local historian specialising in aspects of the history of Oxford and Oxfordshire. She is an experienced speaker, guide, researcher and writer - as well as a volunteer at the Ultimate Picture Palace. Organised by Richard Norman Tickets CTA Members £10 / Non-members £12.50 (both plus a small booking fee) Your ticket price includes a glass of wine or soft drink and nibbles BOOK HERE https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/london/the-gallery-at-alan-baxter-associates/dream-palaces-oxfords-early-cinemas-and-the-ultimate-picture-palace-by-liz-woolley/2025-10-24/18:30/t-lnypemg (fb)

At the end of September an enthusiastic CTA group enjoyed this two-day event organised by David Eve and Gary Trinder, CTA Wessex, enjoying visits to the Plaza (ex-Odeon), Weston Super-Mare complete with organ interlude and special screening of Hitchcock's The Thirty Nine Steps, also viewing the ex-Odeon Bridgwater, the Gaumont/Mecca Taunton, the ex-Maxime in Street , the Palladium in Midsomer Norton and several others along the way. Another fascinating and expertly-organised visit! (fb)