Brookfield Hydro Cinema, Poynton, Cheshire

'Aldi Stores Ltd

Public Art Commis'sion

"Replaying The Brookfield Hydro"

To mark the completion and opening of their Poynton store,

Aldi have commissioned this artwork to commemorate the

Brookfield Hydro Cinema which formerly stood on this site.

Built in 1938, the building was designed with an art deco frontage.

As  well as housing a 920 seat cinema, it also served as a social centre

with a first floor café and a dance hall. The local amateur dramatic society,

The Poynton Players used the venue to host several of their productions

until they built their own theatre in 1949. The first film shown was

"Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" starring Shirley Temple.

During the war years after a short closure, the cinema continued

to operate and charity balls were held to raise funds for war charities.

In 1947 the building was sold to

The Poynton and Worth Co-operative Society but continued as a

cinema until 1957. In 1967 the building was sold to the adjoining

Brookfield Garage Motors and then served as a car showroom and garage.

The café floor became a reataurant and dance floor. Subsequently it

became a fitness club and latterly a nightclub before finally closing its

doors in 2004. After this time the building fell into disrepair.

This sculpture is fabricated from weathering and stainless steel

with a viteous glass mosaic inlay, as a reference to the art deco style of

the original frontage. the panel depicts the Brookfield Hydro Cinema in

its hay day [sic] with a shaft of projected light in polished stainless

steel to symbolise the silver screen. Highlighted in the beam are

Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo, film icons of the era.

Joanne Risley on behalf of Aldi Stores Ltd

Febrauary 2016

www.joannerisley.co.uk'