Cinemas are set to reopen their doors to film-lovers on May 17 as lockdown restrictions ease further.

So for Then and Now this week, we have unearthed pictures of much-loved lost High Wycombe picture houses.

This first photo, taken in Oxford Street in October 1953, shows the Kings Head pub and the Rex Cinema.

The cinema closed in 1965 and was demolished in 1969. The pub and cinema are both shops now. 

Slide across all photos to see what they looked like then and how they look now.

Odeon has confirmed it will reopen the “vast majority” of its cinemas on May 17. Unfortunately, the Odeon in High Wycombe – seen in Castle Street in this photo from April 1965 – was demolished in February 1969.

It was replaced by Woolworths in 1972. Today, The Gym Group has taken over the premises.

This third photo from around 1935 shows Frogmoor, featuring the popular Palace cinema on the right.

Sadly, the cinema was demolished in the 1980s. The Chilterns Centre now stands in its place. 

Finally, this last picture from around 1920 is looking north east at a view of crowd, mainly children, outside the Grand Cinema at 260 Desborough Road.

The cinema closed for good in the 1960s and the building now houses charity Central Aid. 

All archive photos from swop.org.uk.

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