Swindon's former Savoy cinema closes after 89 years

The Savoy on Regent Street in Swindon will stop serving food and drink on November 8, 2026. The venue, currently a Wetherspoons pub, has been sold to a buyer whose identity has not been revealed. The building originally opened as a cinema in 1937 and served as the city's first super cinema for decades.

The site has a long history in local entertainment. It opened in 1937 with a seating capacity of 1,770 people. The first feature shown was the comedy A Star Fell from Heaven, followed by Captain January starring Shirley Temple. Over the years, the name changed to ABC and then Cannon. Staff at the Cannon venue wore red and white uniforms. The cinema closed in 1991 due to competition from out-of-town venues. It reopened in 1996 as a Wetherspoons pub. After 30 years of operation as a pub, it will close for the last time on Remembrance Sunday.

A Wetherspoons spokesman confirmed the sale. He stated that the company occasionally sells its pubs and that this is the current situation for the Savoy. The buyer remains undisclosed. No details have been released regarding the future use of the building or the condition of the sale.

Local figures have expressed concern about the building's future. Film-maker Martin Parry MBE said it would be a great shame if the Savoy became flats. He recalled visiting the cinema after moving to Wiltshire in 1980. He described it as a lovely cinema with a nice period ambience and a touch of glamour. He noted that this kind of cinema experience is now quite hard to get.

Historian Graham Carter is focused on preserving specific features of the exterior. He was involved in installing two blue plaques that commemorate the Starr brothers, World War II pilots born in Swindon. Carter said he is concerned about the plaques, noting they were put there by Swindon people to recognize the sacrifice of local heroes. He hopes the new owner will respect the installation. He also highlighted the importance of preserving the Art Deco architecture, as very few such buildings remain in Swindon.

Residents have shared memories of the venue in response to a request from BBC Wiltshire. Dave Rogers said he worked out it was cheaper to buy a birthday card at Woolworths to gain free entry than to pay the admission cost. Harpo Wol remembered dancing in the aisles during a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Show. Kelly Wilkie said her first cinema visit was to watch The Little Mermaid at the Savoy. Jo Wheatley remembered the red interior and the steps down to the sweets counter. Her biggest memory involves being eight years old and waiting in line for Gremlins 2. Her mother tried to hide her behind a tall man to bypass the age rating, but a door staff member caught them.

The building stands on Regent Street. It features Art Deco design elements. Two blue plaques are mounted on the exterior wall. The interior was historically red. The venue operated as a cinema from 1937 to 1991. It operated as a Wetherspoons pub from 1996 to 2026.