A day of exploration around Walsall, looking to see if we could locate the former sites of cinemas and theatres in the town centre. Students from Walsall College and I met up at New Art Gallery, and researched the cinemas in the library, before walking around Walsall centre to explore locations, and try and see if we could determine the sites of many of the former cinemas.
After researching possible locations in a book about Black Country cinemas by Ned Williams, we viewed the location of Her Majesty's Cinema, which then became the site of the Imperial, and where now sits Poundland. This is right next to the New Art Gallery. Looking at the building, we wondered if the design of the building is based in part on the original theatre design. After looking for a cinema location nearby, we viewed the Imperial, which still stands and is now a Wetherspoons, looking inside at the fixtures and design features that remain. After looking for another cinema site, now not apparent, we went up to Walsall museum and looked at the materials available there, including books, discussing next steps for the project