Why businessman and Scarboroian sold his house to buy North Bay's Hollywood Plaza

Entrepreneur and Scarborian Jon Walker has bet his house – literally – that he can make a success of the Hollywood Plaza in North Bay.

When the single-screen cinema came up for sale two years ago, Jon, who has lived in Brighton for 25 years, was determined to keep it out of the hands of developers with conversion to flats – apartments to use the marketing vernacular – on their minds.

Jon Walker, owner of the Hollywood Plaza

placeholder image — Jon Walker, owner of the Hollywood Plaza

Wary of saying how much he paid for the building, it was on the market earlier this year for £795,000. A Google search brings up the Office for National Statistics. It reveals the average price of a house in Brighton is £404,000 with a detached topping the list at £851,000.

Jon also sold his latest business venture – a campsite on the Isle of Wight – to fund the project.

You do the maths. All Jon is saying is: “The place is full of memories for me. I am a fool for nostalgia and it is a costly love.”

One of his memories of the Plaza was being taken by his dad to see Jaws, which opened in UK cinemas on Boxing Day 1975, when he was too young to ‘officially’ be allowed in. “I was terrified,” he said.

Originally opened as a silent cinema in 1914, the building was converted into a car garage in 1926 before being put back into use as a cinema in the 1980s.

Jon has called it the North Bay Playhouse and splits his time between Brighton and Scarborough to oversee its running and continuing renovation. The entrance has been given a makeover with comfortable chairs and a brighter and fresher kiosk.

Jon Walker outside the Hollywood Plaza which he now owns (credit: Richard Ponte)

The scaffolding outside is testament to ongoing brickwork, the electrics are work in progress, he wants to open up the stage, update the bathrooms, replace the seating – that, he hopes, is in hand with a donation of modern seats … they are 300 miles away in Uckfield and need picking up ... the film The Money Pit comes to mind.

“Scarborough was always full of little, curious, independent places, like Bacchus nightclub, and it was always what helped give the town its charm. This was one of those places,” he said.

“If I had not bought it, it would have been knocked down by now and become flats.”

There are many pluses: “This is its ‘first fix’. I have a functioning building, an ageing but good quality projector and the acoustics are excellent.”

Howard 'king of the keyboads' Beaumont who will play live for a Laurel and Hardy double bill (credit: Richard Ponter)

Films are rolling – the next is Super Nature on Friday September 11, followed by Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass on Saturday September 12. Jon’s partner Alison, a fellow Scarborian and who works in further education in Brighton, masterminds the social media marketing.

There is also a live event, celebrating comedy duo Laurel and Hardy on September 13. It includes Scarborough’s ‘King of the Keyboards’, Howard Beaumont, playing live for a double bill of movies, a documentary and a lecture.

Jon hopes to put on comedy, poetry readings, plays and live music.

“This is the only covered venue between the north of Scarborough and Whitby. Everything else has gone. They have either been knocked down or refurbished into flats.”

Jon is not the only one with fond memories of the Corner Cafe in North Bay. Built in 1925, it was popular with residents and holidaymakers for decades. It was knocked down in 2007 to make way for the Sands apartments.

"What takes the heart out of me is when people say ‘There is no point in doing that, it isn’t worth it, there’s no point in trying’. I could sell it to developers but in my opinion, the direction the North Bay Playhouse is going is the right direction,” said Jon.

For the programme of films and events go to: https://northbayplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/