Our photographs are a snapshot in time to show a building's history.
Businesses shown may no longer be trading here.
This Art Deco style building was built in the mid 1930s and opened on 1st Mach 1937 as The Savoy Cinema. It has also been an ABC Cinema and Cannon Cinema and its final film was shown on 26th March 1991. Since then it has been refurbished and is now is home to a pub - aptly named The Savoy - while in another area there is a church.
Our information comes from a couple of sources: the
pub's website and the
Cinema Treasures website. Both websites also have some photographs of the building when it was a cinema.
The cinema was built on the site of the former Central Temperance Hotel. Two heros of the Second World War were born at the hotel (their mother was proprietor). Their stories make sad reading as both were killed in the war. Squardon Leader Harold Morley Starr was shot after he had bailed out of his burning Hurricane during the Battle of Britain, aged 25 years; his wife was carrying their unborn child. He is buried in
Radnor St. Cemetery in Swindon. Harold's younger brother Wing Commander Norman John Starr (known as John) was shot down over Dunkirk aged 27 years - he was on his way home to be married the following day. He is buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery. Two blue plaques to commemorate the two brothers have been put on The Savoy by the Swindon Heritage team and were unveiled on 8th September 2016 by their nephew retired Squadron Leader Peter Starr Mills (93 years young) and great niece Sue Giles.