Alpha Television Studios Birmingham

The former Aston Cross ABC Cinema was converted for television use in 1955, operating services for ATV (weekday ITV Midlands) and ABC (weekend ITV Midlands) from 1956 to 1968. ATV continued to use the facilities until 1969 when ATV Centre, in the heart of Birmingham City took over. In the late 1950s an office block was built to the right of the old cinema (close up of its sign in image 2) which remains to the present. The cinema was, once the block was completed in 1961, covered in metal cladding to disguise its original purpose (image one). Alpha Television became Radio House and was home to a local radio station until the late 1990s. The former cinema (entrance pictured in the 1950s before cladding - image 3) however was demolished in the 1970s, along with most of the street due to road improvements. The cinema site currently houses a Staples store. The office block is now rented out to several companies.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Alpha Television Birmingham
• Alpha TV Studios
• ATV Network
• ATV
• ABC Midlands
• ATV Midlands

[mikerubb]

Correction it was the Astoria Cinema. opened as the Theatre Royal 1893. projected films from behind..

[ATVNETWORKLIMITED]

@mikerubb It was an ABC when it closed in 1955, although I'm sure its name would have been as you state, but generally its described as ABC Cinema to avoid a long explaination into the ease of the television company of the same name owning the building already to convert it to Alpha.

[radiodarkhorse]

@merionyydd Well done to mention BRMB in this upload

[merionyydd]

Later home to BRMB. I spent many happy hours there either interviewing the presenters for another Radio station or being part of the Sunday breakfast team in the eighties. Were Staple's now are was a rather rough car park then! So bad that it the end I parked in the side street. easier at 6.30am on a Sunday!

[mikerubb]

The reason I commented. was that The ABC aston Cross Cinema was120 yards towards erdington. Alpha was a brand name of the ABC Telivison a division of ABPC. ABC only managed to get the weekend franchise but made a deal with ATV to use it Mon to Fri. Ironic a Cinema company owning a TV station This company later became Thames..